Language development in 2-year-old normal and risk infants.

A variety of language measures was obtained on two groups of 2-year-old infants matched for social class but differing in terms of birth conditions. One group, a high risk group, contained infants who suffered from RDS, birth asphyxia, hypercalcemia, and hyperglycemia while another group consisted of normal infants. The results of the language tests revealed that the high risk group showed poorer performance than the normal subjects. Other tests of perceptual-cognitive development revealed little difference between the groups. The data suggest that the assessment of early trauma needs to employ a variety of measures, especially those which are related to the unfolding skills appropriate for the particular age group studied. Pediatrics, 59:982-986, 1977, LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT HIGH RISK, BIRTH ASPHYXIA, RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (RDS).