When does a premature child start school?

[oxcat1]

By actual age, or by expected age had they been born at the 'correct' time?

I only ask as a medical condition that I have means that any child is likely to be born slightly early. I wouldn't want to add to any possible problems coming from prematurity by also being very much the youngest in the year.

If I were to conceive this month, EDD would be 13th September, which would be very close to the academic year cut-off if the child were to be born early.

Clearly all hypothetical, but would just be interested to know.

with thanks in advance.

Actual year. I'd leave the conception for a few weeks if I was you!

Thank you.

I know that in many cases prematurity can cause no long-term problems, adn similarly being the youngest in the year can cause no additional problems, but in an ideal world (and of course the world is far from ideal!) I would like to avoid adding possible problems.

I've not been able to TTC for the last couple of months anyway as I've been unwell so a few more weeks/months is neither here nor there really.

Thanks again.

Thanks Riven - will need it!

Depends on your LEA, but usually actual date of birth. My DD was due on 13th September but born in July and am battling trying to get her backyeared. Don't add this to your problems!

(And good luck!)

According to ds's consultant paed they reckon that most prems catch up with their peers by 2 and the rest by 5 (assuming there are no long term health problems). Ds was 7 weeks early and at his developmental check two weeks ago he was deemed to be developmentally normal bar his balance(but that issue is due to hypermobility rather than being a prem). For the first four years of his life he had a very weak immune system and was continually ill (on antibiotics for about 10 or 11 months of every year).

His birthday is mid June (should have been August). I don't think emotionally he is any less mature than others with birthdays around the same time. When he started reception his gross motor skills were still delayed but an explanation to his teachers sufficed. Now at 5.5 you wouldn't notice any difference between him and his peers.

I think you are overthinking this!! Prem babies catch up in the most part and it really isn't an issue unless there are SN which a full term child might have! Just relax, have fun making your baby and cross all these bridges when and if you have to - none of us can look 5 years into the future!

I know I'm over-thinking it, but I've been pretty poorly over the last few months, and in and out of hospital, so I've had plenty of time to think!

I've spoken to my consultants about TTC, and they all know it's on the cards, but they have also said that the risks of stopping various medications that I need to take to stay well will outweigh any potential risks to the baby. Reassuring to know I suppose, but I can't quite get over the fact that my baby will spend 9 months being exposed to my medications (that I know they assure me are as safe as they can be, but still...), will probably have to be delivered early, and I may not be able to breast-feed. There's not a lot I can do to change most of those, but if I can do anything to give it hte best chance I can, then I'd like to, even if that does mean just waiting a couple more months.

I just want to be the best mum that I can be (if I can be one at all), and if waiting a few months would help, then that seems a good idea. It would give me time to get myself back into better shape anyway.

I'm sorry - I didn't want to offend or upset anyone, and very pleased to hear that most prem babies catch up so quickly.

You can't help thinking - or even over-thinking!

My dd was born 8 weeks early and I would not agree that she has caught up in 3 years. She doesn't have special needs, just seems very young emtionally. Of course, she might have been like that anyway! The leader at her nursery (who should have considerable experience) also disagrees. She has a premature baby herself.

Certainly this is enough to make me worried about her starting school a year earlier than she would have done.

RAcing - my daughter was 8 weeks prem also with IUGR so waaaaay smaller than she should have been. As you say your DD's personality may well have been the same had she stayed put for a few more weeks - I do think it is counter productive to second guess these things, and after all medical issues have been dealt with you kind of need to get over the fact that they arrrived a bit early and just deal with them as they are. Beleive me at age 9 my DD more than holds her own amongst her chums even if she is a good 6 inches smaller than some of them

Good to hear, Willali!

Hi, Ive just been reading through this forum and am about to face the same situation. My son was born on the 25th August when his due date was the 2nd November (3 months prem). This means that he has the disadvantage of being a summer baby combined with the issues that can manifest in later education. We have weighed up the pros and cons and unless I'm missing something, there are almost no disadvantages to holding him back until the following September. I have a letter from a senior neo consultant that backs our case, however I doubt it will help and the reality is that we are going to have a battle on our hands to delay his start. All we are asking is for a school to go by the date that he should have been born instead of the date he was. Has anyone been successful with anything like this and if so, any advice would be greatly appreciated

I'm afraid you are fighting a losing battle. The rules are laid down by the government. Neither the school nor the LA can change them. They have to use your son's biological age based on his actual date of birth. Your son doesn't have to start school until the start of term following his 5th birthday. However, if you delay until then he will be going straight into year 1, skipping Reception. You will find that most schools are full up so you will have very little choice as to which school he attends.

My DS was due in October and was born 3 months prem in July. He started reception last september. He is doing great and is in the top set so far. He is socialy quite sensitive and gets upset easily but i think this is the same for many summer born children. I also worried about him being in a year group he shouldn't technically be in but although the smallest in his year he is doing fab and i'm so proud of my little miracle x

Already made some progress, spoke to a headmaster of a local school that we would put as first choice and she has confirmed that this kind of thing has happened before. You need the reccomendation of serveral profesionals, one of which I already have, another being the senco for the LA.
Really hope this works out because so far I really cant see any negatives to doing this and I really feel that the benefits could be massive.

When I was teaching we had twins come into Reception who were prem August babies whose EDD should have been October. Their parents fought to have them starting school delayed by a year but weren't successful. However, by the end of YR we had managed to put together a convincing case for them to repeat the Reception year which they did and are now thriving in Y3 with their EDD equivalent peers.

It is a massive fight and you need lots of support from medical professionals and a school willing to be flexible but you can get a delayed start for prem babies. I know of 2 children who have delayed start by a year, both had parents willing to write lots of letters!

The only exception I've experienced to what prh47bridge has said was a child with severe SEN needs who started school in reception rather than Y1 after deferring a year.

Def. appreciate the road ahead will be long, but we are very motivated with this. I don't want to wait for there to be an issue before acting - not when there is another possiblity. We already have the support of the senior Neo consaltand (in writing) so we have a head start. We are hoping that common sense will prevale and someone will throw away the rule book (or rewrite it) Pleased to hear that others have had success doing the same thing, this is encouraging. Many thanks

My friends little boy was born at 31 weeks. At his pre-school he is the tallest, can read and write a little and will start school in September aged 4.7yrs

Parnets I know had a 23 weeker whose prematurity brought him forward a school year. They had a major struggle - the school were not helpful, but what swung it for them in the end was the fact that if he started one year he would need SEN support, but if he was allowed to continue at preschool andn mature and continue with SALT etc, he wouldn't need the extra support. The medical experts etc all supported this argument and the school eventually concurred. He is now doing fine having been held back that extra year, and the school didn't have to find the money for one-to-one SEN. This was a VA school so LA have less influence on admissions? Plus they wrote lots of letters to local paper, MP etc. You really have to fight for this, which is so crazy, but worth it if you are concerned about your child's development. Luckily my 28 weeker seems ok and will be one of the oldest in his school year, which I think is a huge benefit.

Just found this really usefull page.

www.bliss.org.uk/page.asp?section=642&sectionTitle=Deferring+or+delaying+school+en try

godlike - thank you for the link to the Bliss website. I have completed their survey and hope it might make a difference.

As a parent of a 30 week baby with a due date of 28th August, I can absolutely understand your point of view. My dd started reception last September although, had she been born around her due date, she could easily have been in starting school in September this year as one of the oldest in her year. She has struggled in several areas including social integration, anxiety in the class room, sensitivity to noise and her fine motor skills. In February, her teacher was so concerned about her anxiety and communication skills that she wanted to refer her to the speech and language service. Then after the Easter holidays, everything improved. She is now doing very well, integrating socially, more confident and happy.

My own view is that she was just too young to start school and if she had the option of starting reception this September, we would have avoided most of these problems. I also think that the older children in the class generally get more out of the reception year and progress at a faster pace.

So - good luck with your aim of delaying the reception year. I hope it works well for you. With hindsight, I wish I had been able to do the same!