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Impact of Differing Language Background Exposures on Bayley-III Language Assessment in a National Cohort of Children
Natalie Hoi-Man Chan1,2,3, Anne Synnes1,2, Ruth E Grunau1,2
1Neonatal Follow-Up Program, British Columbia Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada.
Insights
Preterm infants face language delays, but primary home language doesn't impact neurodevelopment. Sociodemographic factors and multiple language exposure are more significant predictors of language outcomes in these vulnerable children.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Pediatric language acquisition
- Neurodevelopmental outcomes
Background:
- Preterm infants, particularly those born before 29 weeks gestational age, are susceptible to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, including language delay.
- Early language development is a critical indicator of long-term cognitive and social functioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between primary home language and language development in preterm infants.
- To determine if the language of assessment influences language scores in this population.
- To identify key factors influencing language outcomes in preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Canadian Neonatal Follow-Up Network, including 6146 preterm infants (< 29 weeks gestational age).
- Assessed language development using Bayley-III Language Composite Scores at 18–21 months corrected age.
- Employed univariate and multivariate analyses to compare language scores across primary language groups (English, French, other) and assess the impact of multiple language exposure, adjusting for confounders.
Main Results:
- Univariate analysis indicated an association between primary language and lower Bayley-III Language scores.
- Multivariate analyses revealed that neither primary language nor language of administration were significantly associated with language scores after adjusting for gestational age, developmental delays, and sociodemographic factors.
- Multiple language exposure at home was significantly associated with lower language scores in preterm infants.
Conclusions:
- Sociodemographic factors and other developmental considerations are more influential on language development in preterm infants than their primary home language.
- While primary language and assessment language are not significant predictors, exposure to multiple languages warrants further investigation regarding its impact on language outcomes.
- Interventions and support should consider a holistic approach, focusing on broader developmental and sociodemographic factors rather than solely on primary language.
Abstract:
Preterm infants are at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, especially language delay. Preterm infants < 29 weeks’ gestational age, cared for in Canadian Neonatal Follow-Up Network affiliated hospitals, were assessed between 18 to 21 months corrected age using the Bayley-III. Bayley-III Language Composite Scores were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses for children in three primary language groups: English, French and other. 6146 children were included. The primary language at home was English, French or another language for 3708 children (60%), 1312 children (21%) and 1126 children (18%), respectively, and overall, 44% were exposed to two or more languages at home. Univariate analysis showed that primary language was associated with lower Bayley-III Language scores; however, multivariate analyses demonstrated that neither primary language nor language of administration were significantly associated with lower language scores when adjusted for gestational age, other developmental delays and sociodemographic factors, but multiple language exposure was. Sociodemographic and other factors are more important in determining language development than primary language at home. Further studies are needed to examine the association between exposure to multiple languages and lower Bayley-III language scores in preterm infants.
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