Diane L Putnick1, Marc H Bornstein2, Suna Eryigit-Madzwamuse3, Dieter Wolke4. 1. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD. Electronic address: putnickd@mail.nih.gov. 2. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD. 3. Centre for Health Research, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom. 4. Department of Psychology, and Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether children born very preterm, moderate-late preterm, and term differ in their average level and individual-difference stability in language performance over time. STUDY DESIGN: Language was assessed at 5 and 20 months and 4, 6, and 8 years of age in 204 very preterm (<32 weeks' gestation), 276 moderate-late preterm (32-36 weeks' gestation), and 268 term (37-41 weeks' gestation) children from the Bavarian Longitudinal Study. RESULTS: Very preterm children consistently performed worse than term-born children, and moderate-late preterm children scored in between. Language performance was stable from 5 months through 8 years in all gestation groups combined, and stability increased between each succeeding wave. Stability was stronger between 5 months and 4 years in very preterm than moderate-late preterm and term groups, but this differential stability attenuated when covariates (child nonverbal intelligence and family socioeconomic status) were controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Preterm children, even moderate-late preterm, are at risk for poorer language performance than term-born children. Because individual differences in language performance are increasingly stable from 20 months to 8 years in all gestation groups, pediatricians who attend to preterm children and observe language delays should refer them to language intervention at the earliest age seen. Published by Elsevier Inc.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether children born very preterm, moderate-late preterm, and term differ in their average level and individual-difference stability in language performance over time. STUDY DESIGN: Language was assessed at 5 and 20 months and 4, 6, and 8 years of age in 204 very preterm (<32 weeks' gestation), 276 moderate-late preterm (32-36 weeks' gestation), and 268 term (37-41 weeks' gestation) children from the Bavarian Longitudinal Study. RESULTS: Very preterm children consistently performed worse than term-born children, and moderate-late preterm children scored in between. Language performance was stable from 5 months through 8 years in all gestation groups combined, and stability increased between each succeeding wave. Stability was stronger between 5 months and 4 years in very preterm than moderate-late preterm and term groups, but this differential stability attenuated when covariates (child nonverbal intelligence and family socioeconomic status) were controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Preterm children, even moderate-late preterm, are at risk for poorer language performance than term-born children. Because individual differences in language performance are increasingly stable from 20 months to 8 years in all gestation groups, pediatricians who attend to preterm children and observe language delays should refer them to language intervention at the earliest age seen. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Entities:
Keywords:
gestation; language development; preterm; term
Authors: Ida Sue Baron; Kristine Erickson; Margot D Ahronovich; Kelly Coulehan; Robin Baker; Fern R Litman Journal: Early Hum Dev Date: 2009-10-30 Impact factor: 2.079