Gestational age and birth weight variations in young children with language impairment at an early communication intervention clinic

South African Journal of Communication Disorders

卷:65

Talita le Roux¹  Lauren C. Fouché¹  Alta Kritzinger¹ 

[1] Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria;

关键词: preterm birth;    language impairment;    early communication intervention;    low birth weight;    associated conditions;   

DOI  :  10.4102/sajcd.v65i1.584

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background: South Africa presents with high preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) rates (14.17%). Numerous conditions characterised by language impairment are associated with LBW and/or PTB. Speech-language therapists may fail to identify older children whose language impairment may have originated from LBW and/or PTB.Objective: To describe the frequency of LBW and/or PTB, in comparison with full-term birth, and associated conditions in children at an early communication intervention (ECI) clinic.Methods: Retrospective data of 530 children aged 3–74 months were analysed, with 91.9% presenting with language impairment.Results: Almost 40% had LBW and/or PTB, and late PTB was the largest category. Factors associated with LBW and/or PTB were prenatal risks, including small-for-gestational age, perinatal risks, including caesarean section, and primary developmental conditions. Secondary language impairment was prevalent, associated with genetic conditions and global developmental delay.Conclusion: The frequency of LBW and/or PTB was unexpectedly high, drawing attention to the origins of language impairment in almost 40% of the caseload at the ECI clinic.

【 授权许可】

Unknown