The profile of very preterm children on academic achievement. A cross-population comparison with children with specific learning disorders.
Very preterm 10-year-olds carry a mild, selective academic-delay fingerprint that differs from the broader struggles seen in SLD kids.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team looked at 10-year-olds born very preterm (VPT). They compared their reading and math scores to kids with specific learning disorders (SLD).
They used the same tests for both groups. The goal was to see if VPT kids show the same academic pattern as SLD kids.
What they found
VPT children scored lower than classmates in reading fluency and math. Yet their gaps were smaller and more focused than those seen in SLD.
In short, preterm birth leaves a lighter, narrower academic fingerprint.
How this fits with other research
Tang et al. (2025) studied the same VPT age band but tracked anxiety, attention, and social issues instead of grades. Together the papers sketch a fuller picture: mild academic delays plus subtle behavior troubles.
Yaari et al. (2018) watched preterm infants and saw early cognitive gaps widen by 18 months. Annalisa et al. now show those gaps settle into a stable, mild profile by late elementary school.
Kuang et al. (2025) push the timeline forward. They use baby developmental scores to predict which VPT toddlers later get ASD. The trio of studies links preterm birth → early risk flags → school-age academic and behavioral phenotype.
Why it matters
Screen VPT clients with quick reading-fluency and math probes. Target only the weak spots instead of assuming global delay. Pair academic help with brief check-ins for attention and worry. This focused plan saves therapy hours and keeps kids in the least restrictive classroom setting.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Very preterm (VPT) children showed delays in reading, spelling and maths, but their academic achievement profile is not clearly understood. AIMS: VPT children were compared with children with specific learning disorders (SLD) and typically developing (TD) children on academic achievement, considering cognitive and linguistic phenotypic markers. A learning profile analysis was also performed. METHODS: We included 170 10-year old monolingual Italian-speaking children (37 VPT, 28 SLD, 105 TD) assessing cognitive, linguistic and academic skills. RESULTS: On academic achievements VPT children fell behind TD peers in some reading (text speed, comprehension), spelling (non-word), and math (number knowledge, written calculations and problem-solving) tasks. SLD children underperformed in all academic tasks with respect to VPT and TD peers. Concerning cognitive and linguistic phenotypic markers, compared to TD peers, VPT children showed lower scores in verbal IQ and phonological fluency, SLD children in phonological processing and rapid automatized naming. VPT children showed a higher rate of at-risk performance in reading compared to TD group, but a minor percentage of impaired profiles and comorbidity among learning areas compared to SLD group. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The academic achievement profile of VPT children shows persistent delays, but it differs to that of SLD children, since delays are less widespread and severe, and differences were found in phenotypic markers and comorbidity. Follow-up programs and effective interventions are needed for VPT children.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2019 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2019.02.001