Mathematical and reading difficulties in childhood can have far-reaching consequences into adult life and negatively influence educational attainment, earnings, wealth, and health.
Compared with their term-born peers, children born preterm (<37 weeks of gestation) are at an increased risk for learning difficulties and poorer academic attainment at school age, particularly in domains such as mathematics and reading. Children born preterm and especially those born before 32 weeks of gestation are at increased risk for general cognitive difficulties that can co-occur with other neuropsychological processes, including executive function, attention, visual-spatial skills, and working memory, which have all been shown to be associated with learning difficulties in both mathematics and reading.
Given the rising number of preterm births, there is an increasing need to provide education professionals with information and guidance allowing them to adequately support children born preterm in their educational and academic needs.
Baumann, N., Voit, F., Wolke, D., Trower, H., Bilgin, A., Kajantie, E., Räikkönen, K, Heinonen, K., Schnitzlein, D.D., Lemola, S (2024 online first). Preschool Mathematics and Literacy Skills and Educational Attainment in Adolescents Born Preterm and Full Term, The Journal of Pediatrics, 264 (113731). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113731