The effect of low birthweight on the school performance and behavior of school-aged children

This study examines the school performance and behavior of children aged six to fifteen years who were born weighing less than 2500 g, compared with a group of normal birthweight children, holding constant socio-economic characteristics of the child and family. Data on 7733 children from families responding to the nationally representative 1988 National Health Interview Survey are analyzed. Overall, we find that low birthweight children are more likely to repeat a grade in school and are more likely to attend special education classes, even when holding constant the current health status of the child. We find little evidence, however, that low birthweight children have more behavioral problems than their normal birthweight peers. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.