Born too soon: what can we expect? Nature of home literacy experiences for children with very low birth weight

摘要

This study documents the home literacy experiences of children born with very low birth weight (VLBW). The study's design was modelled after Purcell-Gates' study of social domains mediated by print as home literacy experiences. A design combining purposeful sampling, semi-structured data collection and descriptive case study analysis was employed to create a comprehensive picture of the qualitative indices that document home literacy experiences of VLBW children. Results suggest complex interrelationships between literacy practices and social-emotional factors associated with having a VLBW child. Specifically, these results indicate that increased stress associated with having a child with low birth weight may lead to lower frequencies and variations of home literacy practices. Furthermore, results suggest that stress in the home associated with medical fragility may contribute to low academic outcomes for children with VLBW.