Longitudinal effects of gestational age on academic performance in children born preterm.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate longitudinal changes in reading and math performance among children born prematurely.

STUDY DESIGN

We evaluated data from across an 8-year period for 768 participants in the Western Reserve Reading and Math Project (WRRMP). We assessed their performance on Woodcock-Johnson math and reading subtests as a function of gestational age and parental education.

RESULTS

On the reading comprehension, word identification, and applied math subtests, gestational age was associated with performance decrements, while parental education was linked to improved performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Preterm birth continues to predict lower standardized test scores for reading and math across the time period of this longitudinal dataset; higher levels of parent education partially offset these effects.