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Early full-term babies may face later school woes

This headline drew me in immediately. All three of my children are early full-term babes.

Funny, when asked about their medical history by various health professionals for any given one of my children if they were early, I would tell them 2 to 2 1/2 weeks early. I would usually get back an irritated glance and blow out like I was wasting the health professionals time, like I was silly for mentioning it.

I do understand. Many due dates, or better yet, a conception day, may not be calculated correctly. Who's to say if a child is really early or late?

Anyway, considering my experience, I was surprised that a study even acknowledged early births considered full term.

Do you have early full term children, too? Do you think there's any residual issues from their early birth?

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Permalink Reply by Fallsmama on July 2, 2012 at 4:03pm

I haven't read your article - but I did catch this headline on a ticker on one of the early morning shows - my son was 2.5 weeks early so it caught my attention. The headline read that the study showed issues for kids in third grade.

I promptly rolled my eyes and finished my breakfast.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over this - I'm as vigilant with his school stuff as I am for my other child and figure I'll do my very best to help them do their very best - this study doesn't affect that approach for me at all.

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Permalink Reply by Jmarr on July 2, 2012 at 7:48pm

I sometimes mention that my son was born about 10 days before his original due date. I think they moved his due date up a day or two towards the end, and then we had to schedule a C-section... I have seen that same look...when asked if he was full term and I sometimes mention that we was 38 or 39 weeks. He actually did have a host of developmental issues, and was frequently ill.

My daughter was due at the end of November. I went into labor in September. When I was in the hospital, I think they adjusted her due date by a day or two...probably for liability reasons or something...they didn't want to take her out before she was 32 weeks...so they kept me in the hospital for a few days until the day we hit 32 weeks, but according to my calculations, she was still at 31 weeks when they took her out. Interestingly, she didn't have as many developmental issues as my son at all. A little speech delay, some strange minor health issues, and a bit of a late walker (19 mos), but otherwise above average everywhere else.