Meeting the educational needs of multiple birth children

Abstract

There has been a significant increase in the number of twins and higher multiples so that one child in 33 is now a multiple. It is therefore not unusual for schools to have several sets of twins, as well as triplets and even higher multiples. By being the same age and in the same school year if not class, twins and higher multiples are not like brothers and sisters born closely together. Teachers and parents need to be aware of particular issues that may affect the physical, intellectual, personal, social and emotional development of multiple birth children, and to ensure that school policy and practice include this special group of children and parents. These issues include: preterm birth catch-up and implications for starting school; the balance of competition and cooperation among multiples; separation in school and the evidence from recent longitudinal studies; legislative and other initiatives on the development of school policy; the particular needs of higher multiples.