Premature Kids Linked to Problems

By PAUL RECER, AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Babies born prematurely tend to have more problems in school and in childhood socializing than do babies that were carried to full term, according to a new study.

The study, by psychology researchers at Syracuse University, found that significantly more children born prematurely had behavioral, learning and thinking problems than did children who were born full term. The study was presented Monday at the national convention of the American Psychological Association.

Lawrence Lewandowski of Syracuse University said the study was important because more babies born at 24 to 31 weeks now are being kept alive and become well enough physically to leave the hospital.

A study co-authored by Lewandowski and Jeremie R. Barlow compared the development of 118 babies born prematurely (gestation of 24 to 31 weeks) with that of 119 babies who were delivered after a full term gestation, 38 to 42 weeks. The study conclusions were based on tests that started at birth and were continued at intervals until the age of 10.

Barlow said that she found 39 percent of the premature babies had below normal IQs of 85 or less, while only 13 percent of the full term infants had such IQs. The international average for IQs of 85 or less is 16 percent.

Based on data from questionnaires filled out by teachers and parents, Barlow said the researchers also found that the premature youngsters had more social problem.

“More of them did poorly on measures of social skills,” said Barlow. “There was more peer conflict and they tended to have fewer friends, and less social success.”

In a study measuring academic skills, 41 of the premature children, or 35 percent, scored at the deficit level in an academic screening test, while 10 of the full term children, about eight percent, scored in the low range.

Twenty-eight of the 118 premature children were classified as learning disabled, while 11 of the 119 full term children were given this classification.

“The results...indicated that preterm children were more likely to have clinically significant scores (impairment) on more than one measures and in more than one area,” the researchers said.

Lewandowski said that earlier studies had shown that children born prematurely were up to four times less likely to graduate from high school. The new study shows that social and academic deficits start very early and continue until at least age 10. He said it is hoped that the children can be followed through high school to see if there is an improvement with maturity.

In any case, said Lewandowski, the study suggests strongly that parents of premature babies need to make special effort to enrich the social and intellectual development of their children. He said such parents should seek professional help to learn special “parenting skills” that may be needed for these children.

Such things as massage and other physical contact, bright and interesting visual objects, and pleasant and interesting sounds all provide cribside stimulation that may help these infants develop better intellectual and social skills for their school years, he said.

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