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Speech and language outcomes of children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Barbara A Lewis1, Lynn T Singer, Sarah Fulton

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Behavioral Pediatrics and Psychology 6038, Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. bxl@po.cwru.edu

Insights

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants can negatively impact speech, language, and motor skills by age eight. Children with BPD showed poorer outcomes than VLBW peers without BPD.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease affecting premature infants.
  • Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are at increased risk for BPD and subsequent developmental challenges.
  • Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for VLBW infants with BPD require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the 8-year developmental outcomes of VLBW infants with and without BPD against a term control group.
  • To identify specific areas of development affected by BPD in VLBW survivors.
  • To understand the impact of BPD on speech, language, cognitive, and motor skills.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective follow-up study involving 8-year-old children.
  • Three groups were assessed: VLBW with BPD (n=89), VLBW without BPD (n=71), and term controls (n=93).
  • Evaluations included articulation, receptive/expressive language, IQ (verbal/performance), oral motor, and gross/fine motor skills.

Main Results:

  • The BPD group exhibited deficits in articulation, receptive language, performance IQ, and motor skills compared to both VLBW and term groups.
  • No significant differences were found between BPD and VLBW groups in expressive language, oral motor skills, or verbal IQ.
  • Enrollment in special education and speech-language therapy was significantly higher in the BPD group (48%) than the VLBW (21%) and term (9%) groups.

Conclusions:

  • BPD adversely affects speech development, receptive language, performance IQ, and motor skills in VLBW survivors, beyond the effects of VLBW alone.
  • These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions for VLBW infants with BPD.
  • Early identification and support are crucial for improving long-term developmental trajectories.
Abstract

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