Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2026
06:16
Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
Effect of Preferred Language on Pediatric Rapid Response Activation and Subsequent Intensive Care Utilization
Rachel E Moss1, Jan Fune2, Catherine McDonough3
1Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, USA.
Clinical Pediatrics
|June 30, 2026
Summary
Language barriers in pediatric care do not affect rapid response activation times. However, Spanish-speaking children experienced more intensive care unit transfers and longer hospital stays, indicating a need for better language-concordant care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
- Health Services Research
- Health Equity
Background:
- Language discordance is a known contributor to health care disparities, potentially increasing patient morbidity and mortality.
- Effective communication is crucial for timely and appropriate medical interventions, especially in critical care settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of patient preferred language on the time to rapid response (RR) activation.
- To evaluate the association between preferred language and intensive care unit (ICU) transfer rates and utilization in pediatric patients.
- To identify potential disparities in critical care outcomes based on language preference.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective observational study of pediatric patients experiencing RR activation between January 2020 and June 2023.
- Analysis of demographic and clinical data, including time to RR activation, ICU transfers, and use of mechanical ventilation, non-invasive ventilation, and vasoactive support.
- Statistical comparisons between English-speaking and language other than English (LOE) patients, with specific subgroup analysis for Spanish-speaking patients.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in time to RR activation was observed between English-speaking and LOE patients.
- Spanish-speaking patients were more likely to be transferred to the ICU (P = .0047).
- Spanish-speaking patients experienced longer hospital stays (10 vs 7 days, P = .0425).
Conclusions:
- While language preference did not influence the speed of rapid response activation, it was associated with increased ICU transfers and prolonged hospital stays for Spanish-speaking pediatric patients.
- These findings underscore the critical need for enhanced language-concordant care to address and mitigate disparities in pediatric critical care outcomes.
- Improving communication strategies for non-English speaking families is essential for equitable critical care delivery.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:22Language Development
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
01:21Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...