School Readiness in Children Born <30 Weeks' Gestation at Risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this study was to determine whether school readiness differs between children born <30 weeks' gestation who are classified as at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and those who are not.

METHODS:

This study was a prospective cohort study of children born <30 weeks' gestation. Children were classified as at risk for DCD at a corrected age of 4 to 5 years if they scored <16th centile on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2), had a full scale IQ score of ≥80 on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV), and had no cerebral palsy. Children were assessed on 4 school readiness domains: (1) health/physical development [Physical Health domain of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test, and Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire], (2) social-emotional development (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and PedsQL psychosocial domains), (3) cognitive skills/general knowledge (WPPSI-IV), and (4) language skills (WPPSI-IV).

RESULTS:

Of 123 children assessed, 16 were ineligible (IQ < 80 or cerebral palsy: n = 15; incomplete MABC-2: n = 1); 28 of 107 (26%) eligible children were at risk for DCD. Children at risk for DCD had poorer performance on all school readiness domains, with group differences of more than 0.4 SD in health/physical development, social-emotional development, and language skills and up to 0.8 SD for cognitive skills/general knowledge compared with those not at risk of DCD.

CONCLUSION:

Being at risk for DCD in children born <30 weeks' gestation is associated with challenges in multiple school readiness domains, not only the health/physical domain.

• Authors: Alicia J Spittle, Joy E Olsen, Tara L FitzGerald, Kate L Cameron, Reem A Albesher, Benjamin F Mentiplay, Karli Treyvaud, Alice Burnett, Katherine J Lee, Leona Pascoe, Gehan Roberts, Lex W Doyle, Peter Anderson, Jeanie L Y Cheong
• Journal: Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP (J Dev Behav Pediatr) 2022 Jun-Jul 01 Vol. 43 Issue 5 Pg. e312-e319 ISSN: 1536-7312 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34723933 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Cerebral Palsy
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Gestational Age
• Humans
• Motor Skills Disorders (epidemiology)
• Pregnancy
• Prospective Studies
• Quality of Life
• Schools