Term infants smaller for gestation more likely to lag in teenage school tests, study finds
A major long-term study led from the University of Warwick has found that babies born at full term but who are smaller than expected for their stage of pregnancy tend to achieve lower scores in school tests during adolescence. The research tracked 92,551 children born between 37 and 41 weeks and followed their development from infancy into the teenage years.
Researchers report that children whose birthweight was low relative to other babies of the same sex and gestational age were more likely to record poorer performance in subjects such as mathematics and reading. The differences persisted into the mid‑teen years, suggesting the association between being small for gestational age at birth and later academic attainment does not simply fade after early childhood.
- Sample size: 92,551 children based in Norway followed from infancy to adolescence.
- Gestation range: All children were born at term, between 37 and 41 weeks.
- Key outcomes: Lower scores in national school tests in maths, reading and English among those smaller than expected at birth.
The study also examined babies born at the early end of term, between 37 and 38 weeks. Those children were found to have slightly poorer language and motor skills in early childhood than those born later in term, but the researchers say those differences had become minimal by school entry.
| Age | Assessment |
|---|---|
| ~6 months | Language and motor skills assessed |
| ~18 months | Language and motor skills assessed |
| ~3 years | Language and motor skills assessed |
| ~5 years | Language and motor skills assessed |
| ~10–11 years and early teens | National school tests in maths, reading and English |
Commenting on the findings, the paper quoted the lead investigators.
“For babies born at term, being small for their stage of pregnancy may indicate adverse effects on the brain that affect learning and last into adolescence,”attributed to Prof Dieter Wolke. His colleague, Prof Siobhan Quenby, emphasised that
“not every baby born smaller than expected would experience difficulties,”and warned that the results underline the importance of monitoring growth and ensuring children receive appropriate support during development.
Local implications for Warwick parents, schools and health services
Although the cohort studied was Norwegian, the findings will be closely watched by clinicians, public health officials and educators in Warwick and across the West Midlands because the pattern may reflect biological and social mechanisms that operate in the UK too. For parents and local services, the research highlights two points:
- Early identification: children born small for gestational age should be monitored so any emerging learning or developmental difficulties can be recognised promptly.
- Potential to intervene: the researchers note that parenting, home stimulation and school support could alter long‑term outcomes, signalling an opportunity for local early years and school services to help mitigate risk.
For Warwickshire’s education and public health teams, the study adds weight to existing strategies that focus on targeted support for pupils with additional needs. It also underscores the role of health visitors and early years practitioners in tracking growth and development after birth.
The researchers, working with the PsychGen Centre at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and other collaborating institutions, assessed children repeatedly through infancy and childhood and then linked those early measures to national school assessments in later years. The paper states that when babies are normal size or large for their gestational stage, being delivered a few weeks early did not produce long‑term disadvantages in the outcomes measured.
Local clinicians and school leaders contacted for comment generally welcomed further evidence on early risk factors for educational underachievement, while stressing the need for services to be adequately resourced to provide the kind of home and school support the study highlights as potentially beneficial. For parents in Warwick, the study is a reminder of the importance of routine growth monitoring and the availability of early help where needed.
