Classroom behavior of very low birth weight elementary school children.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of birth weight on the classroom behavior of children during elementary school (N = 1120; mean age = 9.16 years).

DESIGN

The study used an inception cohort.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Participants were from two previously studied multi-site cohorts: very low birth weight (VLBW) children referred to participating intensive care units and heavier low birth weight (HLBW) children from a stratified random sample of births in geographically defined regions. Teacher reports of children's behavior were obtained for 80% of those eligible. Information was obtained for 137 children who were extremely low birth weight (ELBW, < or = 1000 g at birth), 223 who were other very low birth weight (OVLBW, 1001 to 1500 g), 434 who were HLBW (1501 to 2500 g), and 326 who were normal birth weight (NBW, > 2500 g).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The child's teacher provided reports of language and attention in the classroom, behavior problems, and social competence.

RESULTS

Comparisons were made among the four birth weight groups: ELBW, OVLBW, HLBW, and NBW. The ELBW children had lower attention and language skills, overall social competence, scholastic competence, and athletic ability than all other birth weight groups as measured by classroom teachers, even when controlling for neonatal stay, child's gender and ethnicity, and maternal education. All low birth weight (LBW) children had lower attention and language skills and scholastic competence and higher daydreaming and hyperactivity scores than NBW children. White children and children with more educated mothers generally had greater language and attention and social competence scores and fewer behavior problems; girls had fewer behavior problems than boys. Neonatal health was generally not associated with outcomes, except that healthier children had lower anxiety scores. The classroom behavior of LBW (< 2500 g) children was rated by teachers as poor, even for children who had not failed a grade; LBW children who are on grade level still may be at risk for school problems. Differences between ELBW and NBW children persisted for overall language and attention and social competence scores even when additional controls were added for sociodemographic and familial variables. Of these variables, maternal depression and home environment were significantly associated with social competence scores.