Online training helps preemies
Being born too soon can have long-term consequences for children's school success

Date:
September 21, 2020
Source:
Ruhr-University Bochum
Summary:
An international team of researchers has now found that computerized
training can support preterm children's academic success. In their
randomized controlled study 'Fit for School', the researchers
compared two learning apps.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
An international team of researchers has now found that computerised
training can support preterm children's academic success. In their
randomised controlled study "Fit for School," the researchers compared
two learning apps. The project at the University Hospital Essen and at Ruhr-Universita"t Bochum was funded by Mercator Research Center Ruhr
(Mercur) with approximately 300,000 Euros for four years. Results have
been published online as unedited manuscript in the journal Pediatric
Research on 12 September 2020.


========================================================================== Every 11. baby is born too early in Germany, over 15 million globally each year. Although survival rates have increased, long-term development has
not improved much. At school age, children born preterm often struggle
with attention and complex tasks, such as math.

"Preemies need special support," says neonatologist Dr. Britta Hu"ning
of the Clinic for Pediatrics I, University Hospital Essen. Together
with psychologist Dr. Julia Jaekel from the University of Tennessee
Knoxville, previously at Ruhr-Universita"t Bochum, she was part of
a multidisciplinary team that led the study with Professor Ursula Felderhoff-Mu"ser, Director of the Clinic for Pediatrics I. Their findings
are promising and novel, as few intervention studies have ever shown
academic improvements for school-aged preterm children.

Two learning apps tested The study included 65 first graders, born between
five and twelve weeks preterm in the Ruhr Region. They practiced daily
for five weeks, using the software app Xtramath or Cogmed. Teachers
rated their academic progress in math, attention, reading and writing
through first and second grade.

The final results: parents and children liked both apps. "The different trainings supported long-term school success to a similar degree," says
Julia Jaekel. "However, Xtramath received more positive ratings and
led to better short-term academic progress." In times of increasing
remote and online instruction for all children, apps with documented effectiveness are scarce. Parents and teachers may turn to adaptive apps
such as Xtramath for learning at home.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Ruhr-University_Bochum. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Julia Jaekel, Katharina M. Heuser, Antonia Zapf, Claudia Roll,
Francisco
Brevis Nun~ez, Peter Bartmann, Dieter Wolke, Ursula
Felderhoff-Mueser, Britta Huening. Preterm children's long-term
academic performance after adaptive computerized training:
an efficacy and process analysis of a randomized controlled
trial. Pediatric Research, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/ s41390-020-01114-w ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200921100341.htm

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