Title: Using perinatal data to predict childhood neurodevelopment
Funder: Action Medical Research

Abstract: Background_x000D_ In England, over a million children of all ages require extra support in school due to special educational needs. It is known that the growth and development of babies during pregnancy has an important influence on their later health and development, including how well they do at school. Babies who are born small for their gestational age are likely to have poorer educational outcomes than children who were of an average weight at birth. If it were possible to use growth data from pregnancy to predict which children are most likely to experience learning difficulties, early educational interventions could be put in place to support them both at home and at school. _x000D_ _x000D_ The research project_x000D_ These researchers aim to find new ways of using data collected during pregnancy (for example ultrasound scan measurements) to help predict the likelihood of developmental delay and disability in children. The team has a unique opportunity to study over 4,000 children whose mothers participated in the Pregnancy Outcome Prediction Study (POPS) which collected very detailed information on their growth and development in the womb. These children are now aged between six and ten years, and information about their neurodevelopmental outcomes (including special educational needs and educational attainment) is becoming available. The researchers plan to link their current educational outcomes to pregnancy data from POPS to see if they can determine which growth patterns are associated with high risk of neurodevelopmental delay. They will focus on around 400 children in the study who were born small for gestational age and see if specific growth-related measurements taken during pregnancy can predict those at high risk of learning difficulties in childhood. Early interventions to support learning are known to improve educational outcomes and the aim of this study is to target these interventions to children most at risk of developmental delay, giving them the best possible chance of achieving their full potential. _x000D_ _x000D_

Lay abstract: Background_x000D_ In England, over a million children of all ages require extra support in school due to special educational needs. It is known that the growth and development of babies during pregnancy has an important influence on their later health and development, including how well they do at school. Babies who are born small for their gestational age are likely to have poorer educational outcomes than children who were of an average weight at birth. If it were possible to use growth data from pregnancy to predict which children are most likely to experience learning difficulties, early educational interventions could be put in place to support them both at home and at school. _x000D_ _x000D_ The research project_x000D_ These researchers aim to find new ways of using data collected during pregnancy (for example ultrasound scan measurements) to help predict the likelihood of developmental delay and disability in children. The team has a unique opportunity to study over 4,000 children whose mothers participated in the Pregnancy Outcome Prediction Study (POPS) which collected very detailed information on their growth and development in the womb. These children are now aged between six and ten years, and information about their neurodevelopmental outcomes (including special educational needs and educational attainment) is becoming available. The researchers plan to link their current educational outcomes to pregnancy data from POPS to see if they can determine which growth patterns are associated with high risk of neurodevelopmental delay. They will focus on around 400 children in the study who were born small for gestational age and see if specific growth-related measurements taken during pregnancy can predict those at high risk of learning difficulties in childhood. Early interventions to support learning are known to improve educational outcomes and the aim of this study is to target these interventions to children most at risk of developmental delay, giving them the best possible chance of achieving their full potential. _x000D_ _x000D_

Research activity codes: 2.1 BIOLOGICAL AND ENDOGENOUS FACTORS
Health categories: NEUROLOGICAL;MENTAL HEALTH