Health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation

Objective: To ascertain the health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation (extremely low gestational age (ELGA)) and to compare those in mainstream school with classroom controls. Methods: Three geographically defined cohorts of babies born in 1983 and 1984 were traced at...

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Main Authors: Johnson, A, Bowler, U, Yudkin, P, Hockley, C, Wariyar, U, Gardner, F, Mutch, L
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2003
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author Johnson, A
Bowler, U
Yudkin, P
Hockley, C
Wariyar, U
Gardner, F
Mutch, L
author_facet Johnson, A
Bowler, U
Yudkin, P
Hockley, C
Wariyar, U
Gardner, F
Mutch, L
author_sort Johnson, A
collection OXFORD
description Objective: To ascertain the health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation (extremely low gestational age (ELGA)) and to compare those in mainstream school with classroom controls. Methods: Three geographically defined cohorts of babies born in 1983 and 1984 were traced at the age of 15–16 years. Their health, abilities, and educational performance were ascertained using postal questionnaires to the teenagers themselves, their parents, their general practitioners, and the teachers of those in mainstream school. Identical questionnaires were sent to classroom controls. Results: Of the 218 teenagers surviving to the age of 16 years, information was obtained on 179. Of these, 29 were in special schools and 150 in mainstream school, 10 of whom had severe motor or sensory impairment. Using the Child Health Questionnaire, parents of teenagers in mainstream school reported a higher incidence of problems than controls in physical functioning (difference in mean scores 9.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.9 to 13.1)) and family life (difference in mean scores for family cohesion 7.0 (95% CI 1.6 to 12.4)). In all areas of learning, teachers rated the ability of the ELGA teenagers in mainstream school lower than the control group. Parents of teenagers in special schools reported a higher rate of problems in most areas. Conclusions: One in six ELGA survivors at age 16 years have severe disabilities and are in special schools. Most ELGA survivors are in mainstream school and are coping well as they enter adult life, although some will continue to need additional health, educational, and social services.
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spelling oxford-uuid:10637a23-1c9c-4a0f-9668-f37f00e8d13d2022-03-26T09:56:08ZHealth and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestationJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:10637a23-1c9c-4a0f-9668-f37f00e8d13dEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordBMJ Publishing Group2003Johnson, ABowler, UYudkin, PHockley, CWariyar, UGardner, FMutch, LObjective: To ascertain the health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation (extremely low gestational age (ELGA)) and to compare those in mainstream school with classroom controls. Methods: Three geographically defined cohorts of babies born in 1983 and 1984 were traced at the age of 15–16 years. Their health, abilities, and educational performance were ascertained using postal questionnaires to the teenagers themselves, their parents, their general practitioners, and the teachers of those in mainstream school. Identical questionnaires were sent to classroom controls. Results: Of the 218 teenagers surviving to the age of 16 years, information was obtained on 179. Of these, 29 were in special schools and 150 in mainstream school, 10 of whom had severe motor or sensory impairment. Using the Child Health Questionnaire, parents of teenagers in mainstream school reported a higher incidence of problems than controls in physical functioning (difference in mean scores 9.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.9 to 13.1)) and family life (difference in mean scores for family cohesion 7.0 (95% CI 1.6 to 12.4)). In all areas of learning, teachers rated the ability of the ELGA teenagers in mainstream school lower than the control group. Parents of teenagers in special schools reported a higher rate of problems in most areas. Conclusions: One in six ELGA survivors at age 16 years have severe disabilities and are in special schools. Most ELGA survivors are in mainstream school and are coping well as they enter adult life, although some will continue to need additional health, educational, and social services.
spellingShingle Johnson, A
Bowler, U
Yudkin, P
Hockley, C
Wariyar, U
Gardner, F
Mutch, L
Health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation
title Health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation
title_full Health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation
title_fullStr Health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation
title_full_unstemmed Health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation
title_short Health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation
title_sort health and school performance of teenagers born before 29 weeks gestation
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