title: Late Preterm Infants and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at Kindergarten.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Late preterm infants (LPIs) (gestation 34 weeks and 0 days to 36 weeks and 6 days) compared with full-term infants (FTIs) are at increased risk for mortality and short- and long-term morbidity. The objective of this study was to assess the neurodevelopmental outcomes in a longitudinal cohort study of LPIs from infancy to school age and determine predictive values of earlier developmental testing compared with school-age testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used general estimating equations to calculate the odds of school readiness in a nationally representative cohort of 4900 full-term and 950 late preterm infants. We generated positive and negative predictive values of the ability of the 24-month Mental Developmental Index (MDI) scores of the Bayley Short Form, Research Edition, to predict Total School Readiness Score (TSRS) at kindergarten age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariable analysis, late preterm infants had higher odds of worse TSRSs (adjusted odds ratio 1.52 [95% confidence interval 1.06-2.18], P = .0215). The positive predictive value of a child having an MDI of <70 at 24 months and a TSRS <5% at kindergarten was 10.4%. The negative predictive value of having an MDI of >70 at 24 months and a TSRS >5% was 96.8%. Most infants improved score ranking over the study interval.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPIs continue to be delayed at kindergarten compared with FTIs. The predictive validity of having a TSRS in the bottom 5% given a MDI <70 at 24 months was poor. A child who tested within the normal range (>85) at 24 months had an excellent chance of testing in the normal range at kindergarten.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard School of Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts; mwoythaler@partners.org.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woythaler
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Marie C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and.
authors.forename: Wen-Yang
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Medicine, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and.
authors.forename: Vincent C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007360:Intelligence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States