• Posted March 14, 2025

Low Birth Weight Kids Lag In School Readiness

Most low-birth-weight toddlers are not on track to be ready to attend school, a new study says.

Only one-third of babies born weighing less than 5.5 pounds are ready to attend school by ages 3 to 5, researchers reported in the journal Academic Pediatrics.

They tend to lag in early learning skills, self-regulation and social/emotional development, results show.

But researchers say five key protective factors can help children reach developmental milestones and be ready for school.

These include parenting practices like regular reading or bedtime routines and limiting screen time to one hour or less a day, researchers said.

The mental of health of parents, emotional support networks and the availability of community supports like special education and child care also can help low-birth-weight kids be ready for school.

“Our findings underscore the critical role that family routines and parental supports play in shaping early child development,” lead investigator Dr. Gen Guyol, a health services researcher in neonatology at Boston Medical Center, said in a news release.

“By fostering predictability, such as through consistent household routines and spending dedicated time together, parents can create an environment that supports their child’s readiness for school,” she added.

For the study, researchers tracked the development of more than 1,400 U.S. children born with low birth weight, using national survey data that included questions designed to assess the kids’ readiness to attend school.

School readiness not only predicts how much a child will achieve during their education, but also their long-term financial and health prospects as adults, researchers said in background notes.

Results showed that only 30% of the children were on track in the four domains essential for school readiness.

About 45% were on track in early learning skills, 67% in self-regulation, 75% in social/emotional development and 87% in physical health and motor development.

Researchers found that children did better if both they and their parents received support.

“It’s essential to recognize that the support of parents and caregivers is a protective factor,” Guyol said. “When parents feel supported, they are better equipped to create an environment that promotes positive developmental outcomes for their children.”

The research contributes to a growing body of evidence that emphasizes the importance of providing supportive environments in fostering school readiness, particularly among vulnerable groups like low-birth-weight children.

“Investing in school readiness has far-reaching effects that extend well beyond the classroom,” Guyol said. “By supporting parents and creating environments that foster early development, we are not only helping children thrive in school but also setting the foundation for lifelong success and well-being.”

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on school readiness.

SOURCES: Boston Medical Center, news release, March 7, 2025; Academic Pediatrics, March 5, 2025