Early Language Difficulties in Association With Later Need of School Support Services in Very Preterm Children – A Longitudinal Follow‐Up Study

Aim School performance requires a wide spectrum of developmental abilities including cognitive, social and behavioural skills. We aimed to study the association between developmental difficulties at 5 years and the received school support services at 8 and 11 years in children born very preterm. Methods This prospective study included the follow‐up of very preterm children (gestational age < 32 weeks and/or birth weight ≤ 1500 g) without neurodevelopmental impairment at 2 years. Developmental difficulties at 5 years were assessed with the parental Five‐to‐Fifteen (FTF) questionnaire and the received school support services (special education, assistant services and studying one grade below peers) were reported by teachers at 8 and 11 years. Results The study included 147 children born very preterm. Early language difficulties were associated with all reported school support services. Of children with language difficulties at 5 years ( n = 17, 11.6%), 60.0%–87.5% ( p < 0.001–0.004) received school support services at 8 years and 37.5%–62.5% ( p = 0.002–0.04) at 11 years. Conclusion Parental perception of language difficulties at 5 years was associated with later need for school support services in children born very preterm. Using the FTF questionnaire at 5 years could be an additional tool to provide valuable information on the need for future school support services.