[Academic achievement of children born with very low birth weights at the age of 10 years].

Objective: The academic achievement in Japanese and arithmetic of children born with very low birth weights (VLBW) was examined by means of academic skill tests at the age of 10 years.

Methods: The participants were 14 VLBW children who could be followed up in our hospital at the age of 10 years, and 6 men and 8 women. They had a mean gestational age of 27 weeks and 6 days and a mean birth weight of 988 g. The tests of the fourth grade of Japanese and arithmetic were performed during the waiting time of outpatient. The results were compared with those in typical development (TD) children.

Results: Concerning the comprehension of Japanese, the correct answer rate as to the problems answered in their own word was 42.9 ± 51.4% in the VLBW children and 69.7 ± 46.3% in the TD children, respectively. The correct answer rate as to composition was 28.6 ± 46.9% in the VLBW children and 72.7 ± 44.9% in the TD children, respectively, that in the VLBW children being obviously low. The correct answer rate as to calculation laws of arithmetic was 55.4 ± 14.7% in the VLBW children and 66.3 ± 15.5% in the TD children, respectively. The sentence resolving as to arithmetic was 42.9 ± 50.4% in the VLBW children and 52.9 ± 50.1% in the TD children, respectively.

Conclusions: The VLBW children had difficulty in Japanese and arithmetic which required the sentence understanding, compared with the TD children.