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Birth Weight and the Dynamics of Early Cognitive and Behavioural Development

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  • Del Bono, Emilia

    (ISER, University of Essex)

  • Ermisch, John

    (University of Oxford)

Abstract

In this paper we explore the impact of birth weight on children's cognitive and behavioural outcomes using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. In order to deal with the endogeneity of birth weight we use an estimator based on the eliminant method. When coupled with ordinary least squares, this estimator allows us to bound the effects of birth weight. The results show that birth weight has significant but very small effects on male cognitive development at age 3 and on female cognitive and behavioural outcomes at age 3. We also find that birth weight affects age 5 outcomes only through previous achievements, and that the overall impact fades out over time. These findings call into question the effectiveness of birth weight as a policy target.

Suggested Citation

  • Del Bono, Emilia & Ermisch, John, 2009. "Birth Weight and the Dynamics of Early Cognitive and Behavioural Development," IZA Discussion Papers 4270, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4270
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicoletti, Cheti & Tonei, Valentina, 2017. "The Response of Parental Time Investments to the Child's Skills and Health," IZA Discussion Papers 10993, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. McDonough, Ian K. & Millimet, Daniel L., 2017. "Missing data, imputation, and endogeneity," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 199(2), pages 141-155.
    3. Lucinda Platt, 2012. "How Do Children of Mixed Partnerships Fare in the United Kingdom? Understanding the Implications for Children of Parental Ethnic Homogamy and Heterogamy," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 643(1), pages 239-266, September.
    4. Nicoletti, Cheti & Tonei, Valentina, 2020. "Do parental time investments react to changes in child’s skills and health?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    5. Richard H. Steckel & Garrett Senney, 2015. "Historical Origins of a Major Killer: Cardiovascular Disease in the American South," NBER Working Papers 21809, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    birth weight; production function; child development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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