Clinical assessment of language development in children at age 3 years that were born preterm
Carolina Rizzotto Schirmer1, Mirna Wetters Portuguez, Magda Lahorgue Nunes
1Developmental Outpatient Clinic HSL - PUCRS, Division of Neurology - Hospital São Lucas and School of Medicine Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) Porto Alegre RS - Brazil.
Insights
Children born preterm with low birth weight face higher risks for language delays and poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes by age three. Early language assessments can predict later language acquisition challenges.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Preterm birth is associated with increased risks for developmental challenges.
- Understanding the impact of gestational age and birth weight is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how gestational age and birth weight influence language development in preterm infants.
- To assess neurodevelopmental outcomes at three years of age in children born preterm.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 69 preterm children assessed at age 3.
- Participants stratified by birth weight (<1500g vs. 1500-2500g).
- Evaluations included language assessments, Denver II, Bayley Scales of Infant Development II, and neurological exams.
Main Results:
- Lower birth weight (<1500g) correlated with significantly lower scores on the Bayley II scales at 36 months.
- Multivariate analysis indicated associations between gestational age, abnormal behavior, and delayed language acquisition.
- Early language assessments (Denver test at 12 and 24 months) predicted later language delays.
Conclusions:
- Low birth weight in preterm infants increases the risk of language acquisition delay.
- Preterm children with language delays exhibit lower cognitive and behavioral scores compared to those with normal language acquisition.
Objective:
To evaluate the influence of gestational age and birth weight on language development and neurodevelopmental outcome at age 3 years in children born preterm.
Method:
Cross sectional study including 69 children followed in our developmental outpatient clinic. Patients were consecutively included at the time of the 3 years of age appointment and stratified for birth weight (<1500 grams and between 1500-2500 grams). All patients were assessed for receptive and expressive language , Denver II and Bayley II tests and clinical neurological examination. For analysis patients were divided in two groups normal language acquisition (NLA) and delay in language acquisition (DLA).
Results:
NLA children had higher scores on mental and psychomotor (p=<0.01, p=0.012) indexes of Bayley II. Newborns with less than 1500 grams had lower scores on all Bayley scale at age 36 months (p=0.002, p=0.007 and p<0.001). Multivariate analysis suggests an association between gestational age (p=0.032), abnormal behavior (p<0.001) and delay in language acquisition. Denver test at 12 and 24 months of age was a good predictor of delayed receptive and expressive language at three years of age (p=<0.01 and p=<0.01).
Conclusion:
Children born prematurely with low birth weight had an increased risk of language acquisition delay, and those had also lower cognitive and behavior scores when compared to NLA.
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