Language development survey provides a useful screening tool for language delay in preterm infants
Roschanak Mossabeb1, Kelly C Wade, Kathryn Finnegan
1University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia PA 19140, USA. Roschanak.mossabeb@drexelmed.edu
Clinical Pediatrics
|March 9, 2012
Summary
Language delay affects 26% of preterm infants. The inexpensive Language Development Survey (LDS) effectively screens for this, identifying male gender and public insurance as key risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Developmental language disorder affects 3-10% of term infants and 30% of preterm infants.
- Early language screening in preterm infants is crucial but can be costly and time-consuming.
- Identifying reliable and affordable screening tools is essential for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Language Development Survey (LDS) for assessing expressive language development in preterm infants.
- To determine the prevalence of language delay in a cohort of preterm infants using the LDS.
- To identify risk factors associated with language delay in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 178 preterm infants (born 23-34 weeks gestation) was enrolled.
- Parents completed the Language Development Survey (LDS) between 22-26 months corrected age.
- Language Development Survey (LDS) results were correlated with Bayley III Scale scores for neurodevelopmental assessment.
Main Results:
- A significant language delay was identified in 26% of preterm infants based on LDS screening.
- The Language Development Survey (LDS) demonstrated significant correlations with Bayley III scores.
- Male gender and public health insurance were identified as significant risk factors for language delay.
Conclusions:
- The Language Development Survey (LDS) is a suitable, inexpensive, and effective screening tool for identifying language delay in preterm infants.
- Early identification of language delay in preterm infants is feasible using parent-completed screening tools.
- Understanding risk factors like male gender and insurance status can aid targeted screening efforts.
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