The abilities of very low-birthweight children and their classroom controls.

Forty-three children born in the Nottingham area in 1981 and weighing less than 1501g who had received treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit were followed up on entry to primary school at the age of five years. All were apparently normal, with no observable handicap or need for special educational provision. Their results on the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were compared with those of closely matched classmates and significant differences were found between the two groups on all six scales, most markedly on the General Cognitive Index.