[Evaluating language acquisition using the Early Language Milestone (ELM) and Munich developmental scales]

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Clinical Linguistics
• Neonatology

Background:

• Prematurity is a significant risk factor for deviations in children's language development.
• Accurate assessment tools are crucial for early identification and intervention in at-risk infants.
• Neurodevelopmental consultations benefit from reliable language assessment methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the agreement between the Munich Development method and the Early Language Milestone scale.
• To assess the utility of these diagnostic tests in identifying language development in premature children.
• To determine the correlation of these scales with corrected age.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 129 premature children (gestational age < 40 weeks) were assessed.
• Children aged 0-12 months corrected age were administered both the Munich Development method and the Early Language Milestone scale.
• Student's T-test was employed to compare the results of the two scales and their correlation with corrected age.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant correlation (p<0.05) was observed between the Munich Development method and the Early Language Milestone scale.
• Both scales demonstrated a significant correlation with the corrected age of the children.
• The correlation between the two tests increased with higher corrected age.

Conclusions:

• The Munich Development method and the Early Language Milestone scale are valuable tools for monitoring language development in premature children.
• Both scales show good agreement and are reliable indicators of language progression in this population.
• These findings support the use of these scales in enriching neurodevelopmental consultations for premature infants.