Language, Motor, and Cognitive Outcomes of Toddlers Who Were Born Preterm

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the language, motor, and cognitive abilities of children born preterm in four categories: (a) healthy preterm infants, (b) infants of diabetic mothers, (c) infants with respiratory distress syndrome, and (d) infants with chronic lung disease when the children were 30 months, uncorrected age. Comorbidity of language, motor, and cognitive skills was examined, along with predictor variables. Method A total of 148 children who were born preterm participated and were assessed using bivariate tests and logistic regression on standardized assessment scores. Results Controlling for the children's gestational age (GA), overall language ability was significantly lower in the infants of diabetic mothers group compared to the healthy preterm infant group, and expressive language skills were significantly lower for the chronic lung disease group than the respiratory distress syndrome group. The children with language delays on at least one measure were significantly more likely to have cognitive, motor, or both delays. Lower maternal education was a significant predictor for language and cognitive delays, and younger GA was a significant predictor for language, motor, and cognitive delays. Conclusion Assessment of the preterm infant from a biosystems approach allows the speech-language pathologist to take into consideration maternal education, diagnosis at preterm birth, and GA, which were found to impact the language, motor, and cognitive outcomes of children born preterm. Our findings further reinforce the concept of the whole child in that children born preterm who display language delays should be screened for co-occurring motor and/or cognitive delays.

Reliability Study of the Items of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) Using Kappa Analysis

“…The incidence rate of preterm delivery is estimated to be between 5% and 18% worldwide [1]. Children born preterm often demonstrate significantly poorer motor functions, cognitive outcomes, and language skills during development than those born full term [2]. Preterm infants often demonstrate atypical postures and movements, frequently manifesting as a hyper-extended neck and trunk, because they lack active flexor power compared to full-term infants [3,4].…”

Impact of Differing Language Background Exposures on Bayley-III Language Assessment in a National Cohort of Children Born Less than 29 Weeks’ Gestation

“…Our study identifies many factors associated with language delay in preterm infants born <29 weeks’ GA. Not surprisingly, having developmental delays in other domains such as cognitive and/or motor skills or significant hearing impairment were all highly associated with lower language scores [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Since language development is known to be strongly influenced by the social environment, the associations between lower language scores and caregiver characteristics such as lower education, unemployment and single caregiver status were also expected findings, which highlight the importance of ongoing equitable resources to support these higher-risk families [ 25 ].…”

Conversational Speech and Language Skills of Children Born Preterm and Full Term

“…Birthweights ranged from 610 to 2,340 g, with a mean birthweight of 1,507 g ( SD = 461 g). The children in the preterm group were recruited from a database of children born preterm who were being followed as part of a study on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of children born preterm (Loeb et al, 2020).…”

“…Of particular interest to speech–language pathologists (SLPs) are the speech and language outcomes of children born preterm. Current research has focused on the language (e.g., grammar and vocabulary) outcomes of children born preterm from early childhood through adolescence (Loeb et al, 2020; Zimmerman, 2018). A meta-analysis of 16 studies on outcomes of school-age children born preterm found that children born preterm performed more poorly than children born full term on measures of total language, receptive language, expressive language, phonological awareness, and grammar (Zimmerman, 2018).…”