447 Parental Education Does Not Influence Outcome of Very Preterm Children on All Developmental Domains

Background: Children born preterm run an increased risk of problems on multiple domains. It is not clear how SES influences these different outcomes. Aims: To study the relation between parental education and multiple domain outcomes at age five in very preterm born children in comparison with term controls. Methods: 104 children born < 30 weeks infants GA and/or < 1000 gr at birth and 95 term controls were assessed at the (corrected) age of five years. Motor, neurological cognitive (total, verbal and performal IQ, and processing speed quotient) and behavioural funtioning were assessed using the M-ABC II, the Touwen examination, the WPPSIIII- NL, and the SDQ. (parents and teachers). The differences between preterm and term children were studied in three strata of parental education level (high, medium, low). Results: The mean difference in IQ score between 104 preterm and 95 term children was 10 points. In the high education stratum this difference was 5 compared to 14 in the low stratum. The same pattern was found for verbal, performal IQ, processing speed and SDQ scores. Neurological outcome of preterm born children was not normal in 49% especially due to minor neurological dysfunction (MND), which occurred in 44%. MND nor M ABC scores were influenced by parental education, with comparable preterm-term diferences in each parental education stratum. Conclusions: The biological risk of preterm children is highlighted by their neurological outcome. The social risk factor modifies this biological risk and determines especially cognitive and behavioral outcome.