Abstract
Emotional disturbance associated with prematurity may not appear until the adolescent years. Referral for special ed. on the basis of substantial classroom difficulty is a documented complication of prematurity. A representative sample of 500 Emotionally Disturbed Special Education classified students had at least 12% preterm birth rate with 4% weighing below 2000g at birth. The emotional disorder frequently began after age 12yrs. as a disturbance in conduct. The child's behavior was due to frustration in reaction to learning disability and to overprotection by parents concerned about their child's vulnerability. The psychiatric diagnosis and academic achievement of classified students with preterm births differed from classified students with term births, but the age of onset was similar. Special Ed. for Emotionally Disturbed classification contrasts with other classifications in New Jersey in the age of onset:
Since emotional disturbance may present in adolescent yrs., follow up of greater than 10 years is necessary to evaluate the incidence of emotional disturbance in infants with preterm births.
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Smith, R., Hiatt, I. & Hegyi, T. LATE APPEARANCE OF EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE AS A SEQUELA OF PREMATURITY. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 114 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00126
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00126