Children's Health

Premature Kids Don't Always Catch Up

continued...

Many times, parents are surprised when these problems crop up, Barlow says.

"All of a sudden, the child is socially rejected. Or the teacher is calling up, saying [the child is] having certain problems in school. But they didn't have cerebral palsy when they were born; there was no [brain] hemorrhage, so [parents] assume the child is fine," Barlow says.

The researchers did not evaluate the effectiveness of any special services or treatments the children received, but Barlow says school-based supportive programs, along with parental involvement, are crucial.

"I think that with all children, whether they are impaired or not, and more so if they are impaired, it is important to provide educational enrichment," such as reading to them and involving them in activities outside the classroom, says Barlow.