[Developmental aspects of language articulation in preterm and small fullterm infants]
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U Bortolini1, S Bonifacio, R Fior
1CNR, Centro di Studio per le Ricerche di Fonetica, Università di Padova.
Insights
This study examined phonetic and lexical development in small, preterm, and full-term infants. Preterm infants may show early indicators of later speech and lexical development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Linguistics
- Pediatric Speech and Language Pathology
- Neonatal Development
Context:
- Investigating early communication milestones in infants.
- Understanding developmental trajectories in diverse infant populations.
- Focusing on the second year of life for phonetic and lexical acquisition.
Purpose:
- To compare phonetic and lexical development in small, preterm, and full-term infants.
- To identify normal and delayed developmental patterns.
- To explore potential early indicators of speech and lexical development in preterm infants.
Summary:
- Analyzed spontaneous verbal productions of 12 infants (4 per group: small, preterm, full-term) at 18-21 months.
- Utilized phonetic transcription (IPA) for detailed analysis of speech sounds and vocabulary.
- Compared preterm and full-term infants based on chronological and gestational age.
Impact:
- Provides evidence for early indicators of speech and lexical development in preterm infants.
- Informs early intervention strategies for infants at risk for developmental delays.
- Contributes to a deeper understanding of language acquisition in vulnerable infant populations.
Abstract:
The data to be discussed in this paper are drawn from a study of three groups of infants: small (low birth weight less than 10 centile for gestational age), preterm (gestational age less than 37 weeks) and full term. The total population of this study consisted of 12 children (4 subjects for each group). The purpose of the study was to examine phonetic and lexical development in these three populations to determine both normal and delayed patterns of this development over the second year of life. The time sampled for early behaviors were 18, 19, 20, and 21 months, based on chronological age. The spontaneous verbal productions of the subjects were tape-recorded and transcribed using phonetic symbols (IPA). Comparison were made between preterm and full term infants based on both chronological and gestational age. The data resulting from the comparison of our subjects on these parameters provide us with evidence that there can be early indicators of later speech and lexical development of the group of preterm infants.