A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Prereading skills of very-low-birth-weight prematurely born Finnish children




AuthorsMunck P, Niemi P, Valiaho A, Lapinleimu H, Lehtonen L, Haataja L

PublisherPSYCHOLOGY PRESS

Publication year2012

JournalChild Neuropsychology

Journal name in sourceCHILD NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

Journal acronymCHILD NEUROPSYCHOL

Number in series1

Volume18

Issue1

First page 92

Last page103

Number of pages12

ISSN0929-7049

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2011.589378


Abstract
Our objective was to study the prereading skills of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW; <= 1500 g) prematurely born children at the age of five years. A regional cohort of 89 VLBW children and 152 full-term (FT) born children was assessed for letter knowledge, phonological processing, and speeded naming. Full-scale IQ (FSIQ) was assessed using a short version of WPPSI-R. The associations of parental and neonatal factors, and FSIQ with prereading skills were assessed. VLBW group had poorer prereading skills, and there were more VLBW children at-risk (performing < -1 SD) compared to FT children in phonological processing (23% vs. 9%, p = .002), letter knowledge (27% vs. 14%, p = .017), and the accuracy of speeded naming (26% vs. 13%, p = .020). VLBW children had lower average FSIQ and Performance IQ (both comparisons p < .001) than FT controls, but Verbal IQ did not differ. When FSIQ was used as a covariate, VLBW children did not differ from the FT group in prereading skills indicating that they are at risk for more global developmental problems. Lower parental level of education as well as parent's reading problems were negatively associated with VLBW children's prereading skills. Positively, about 75% of VLBW children performed within the normal range in each individual prereading skill.



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