Correlation between risk factors that influence the development of children's language

Marianna Momoe Nanakuma Matsumoto1, Heloisa Adhmann Ferreira1, Isabelly Bueno Araujo1

  • 1Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - USP - São Paulo (SP), Brasil.

Codas
|January 29, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This study identified key risk factors impacting child development and language acquisition. Male gender, white ethnicity, lower socioeconomic status, and altered temperaments in children and mothers were significant predictors.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Speech and Language Pathology
  • Pediatric Health

Background:

  • Child development is influenced by various factors, with early identification of risks crucial for intervention.
  • Language and speech disorders can significantly impact a child's overall development and learning trajectory.
  • Existing risk assessment protocols require validation and correlation to enhance their predictive power.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify significant risk factors for child development using the Protocol for the Identification of Risk Factors for Language and Speech Disorders (PIFRAL) and the Language Development Protocol (PDL).
  • To correlate the findings from PIFRAL and PDL to provide a comprehensive understanding of developmental risks.
  • To elucidate the implications of identified risk factors on language acquisition in young children.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective analysis of 194 children aged 0-5 years 11 months from primary health care in São Paulo, Brazil (2016-2020).
  • Utilized R software for statistical analysis to correlate risk factors and analyze Language Development Protocol (PDL) results.
  • Defined altered PDL results as the presence of one or more altered developmental axes.

Main Results:

  • 62.4% of participants exhibited altered PDLs, indicating potential developmental concerns.
  • Key risk factors identified included male gender, white ethnicity, and lower socioeconomic status (upper middle, lower middle, or low class).
  • Maternal and child temperament alterations, along with maternal education level up to high school, were also significant risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • The study successfully correlated the PIFRAL and PDL protocols, validating their combined use in risk assessment.
  • Identified specific demographic and temperamental factors as significant predictors of altered child development and language acquisition.
  • Findings underscore the importance of considering a multifaceted approach to identify and address risks in early childhood development.
Abstract

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