Koraszülött kisdedek expresszív nyelvi fejlődése. Az atipikus nyelvi fejlődés rizikófaktorainak vizsgálata

Abstract

Background and aims: 79–99% of preterm infants survive without major neurological impairment, however, they are at risk for language and cognitive disorders. The objectives of this study were to 1) examine the expressive language development of Hungarian preterm toddlers using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI), and to 2) identify perinatal factors related to early language developmental delay.
Methods: The study sample consisted of 85 preterm toddlers (≤ 36 weeks gestational age) and 85 control toddlers (≥ 37 weeks gestational age). During the developmental follow-up examinations (M = 26.2 months, SD = 2.29), the cognitive scale of the Bayley-III test or the Brunet-Lezine test was administered, and parents filled the CDI. Early language developmental delay was identified if, despite normal cognitive development, the vocabulary size was below the 20th percentile.
Results: 65% of preterm toddlers showed early language developmental delay, compared to 8.2% in the control group. In case of preterm infants, cognitive development was associated with sex (p = 0.041), gestational age ( p = 0.004), birth weight ( p = 0.029), the presence of neonatal seizures (p = 0.033), Apgar scores ( p = 0.014, p = 0.005), and parental education level (p = 0.002, p < 0.001). A significant association was found between early language developmental delay in preterm infants and sepsis (p = 0.011).
Conclusions: Screening for early language developmental delay in preterm toddlers should be initiated before the age of 3. This would allow for the early identification of potential learning and language disorders manifesting during school age and enable the start of specific intervention procedures.