While babies born prematurely may lag behind their elementary school peers, they eventually catch up, British researchers report.
By the end of high school, only the kids born before 32 weeks of gestation were continuing to struggle, according to a new study published online Aug. 17 in the journal PLOS ONE.
A team led by Neora Alterman and Maria Quigley, of the University of Oxford, said these kids may benefit from screening for thinking and language difficulties prior to starting school to help guide additional support needs for their education.
“Our study showed that birth at any gestational age earlier than full term was associated with poorer attainment at the end of primary school,” the authors reported in a journal news release. “However, at the end of compulsory education, these pupils had similar outcomes to their peers, except for pupils born at less than 32 weeks, who remained at risk of low attainment.”…