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Factors affecting vocabulary acquisition at age 2 in children born between 23 and 28 weeks' gestation

Factors affecting vocabulary acquisition at age 2 in children born between 23 and 28 weeks' gestation
Factors affecting vocabulary acquisition at age 2 in children born between 23 and 28 weeks' gestation
Language development is often slower in preterm children compared with their term peers. We investigated factors associated with vocabulary acquisition at 2 years in a cohort of children born at 28 weeks' gestation or less. For children entered into the United Kingdom Oscillation Study, language development was evaluated by using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories score, completed by parents as part of a developmental questionnaire. The effect of demographic, neonatal, socioeconomic factors, growth, and disability were investigated using multifactorial random effects modelling. Questionnaires were returned by 288 participants (148 males, 140 females). The mean number of words vocalized was 42 (SD 29). Multifactorial analysis showed only four factors were significantly associated with vocabulary acquisition. These were: (1) level of disability (mean words: no disability, 45; other disability, 38; severe disability, 30 [severe disability is defined as at least one extreme response in one of the following clinical domains: neuromotor, vision, hearing, communication, or other physical disabilities]; 95% confidence interval [CI] for the difference between no and severe disability 7- 23); (2) sex (39 males, 44 females; 95% CI 0.4-11); (3) length of hospital stay (lower quartile, 47; upper quartile, 38; 95% CI -12 to -4); and (4) weight SD score at 12 months (lower quartile, 39; upper quartile, 44; 95% CI 1-9). There was no significant association between gestational age and vocabulary after multifactorial analysis. There was no significant effect of any socioeconomic factor on vocabulary acquisition. We conclude that clinical factors, particularly indicators of severe morbidity, dominate the correlates of vocabulary acquisition at age 2 in children born very preterm.
1469-8749
591-596
Marston, Louise
258cc87f-2cf7-49de-9498-fc659a5ffde7
Peacock, Janet L.
1cb1242c-7606-4f8e-86d0-d3cd2ceff782
Calvert, Sandra A.
57fee0d9-0583-4b75-99d4-58c72a3b2e2a
Greenough, Anne
5fb7521d-ae58-4a58-9a0b-deddcf1647c2
Marlow, Neil
0c6bd3b0-464b-4f04-8dd3-72517da5cbd7
Marston, Louise
258cc87f-2cf7-49de-9498-fc659a5ffde7
Peacock, Janet L.
1cb1242c-7606-4f8e-86d0-d3cd2ceff782
Calvert, Sandra A.
57fee0d9-0583-4b75-99d4-58c72a3b2e2a
Greenough, Anne
5fb7521d-ae58-4a58-9a0b-deddcf1647c2
Marlow, Neil
0c6bd3b0-464b-4f04-8dd3-72517da5cbd7

Marston, Louise, Peacock, Janet L., Calvert, Sandra A., Greenough, Anne and Marlow, Neil (2007) Factors affecting vocabulary acquisition at age 2 in children born between 23 and 28 weeks' gestation. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology., 49 (8), 591-596. (doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.2007.00591.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Language development is often slower in preterm children compared with their term peers. We investigated factors associated with vocabulary acquisition at 2 years in a cohort of children born at 28 weeks' gestation or less. For children entered into the United Kingdom Oscillation Study, language development was evaluated by using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories score, completed by parents as part of a developmental questionnaire. The effect of demographic, neonatal, socioeconomic factors, growth, and disability were investigated using multifactorial random effects modelling. Questionnaires were returned by 288 participants (148 males, 140 females). The mean number of words vocalized was 42 (SD 29). Multifactorial analysis showed only four factors were significantly associated with vocabulary acquisition. These were: (1) level of disability (mean words: no disability, 45; other disability, 38; severe disability, 30 [severe disability is defined as at least one extreme response in one of the following clinical domains: neuromotor, vision, hearing, communication, or other physical disabilities]; 95% confidence interval [CI] for the difference between no and severe disability 7- 23); (2) sex (39 males, 44 females; 95% CI 0.4-11); (3) length of hospital stay (lower quartile, 47; upper quartile, 38; 95% CI -12 to -4); and (4) weight SD score at 12 months (lower quartile, 39; upper quartile, 44; 95% CI 1-9). There was no significant association between gestational age and vocabulary after multifactorial analysis. There was no significant effect of any socioeconomic factor on vocabulary acquisition. We conclude that clinical factors, particularly indicators of severe morbidity, dominate the correlates of vocabulary acquisition at age 2 in children born very preterm.

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Published date: 16 July 2007
Organisations: Community Clinical Sciences

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Local EPrints ID: 72627
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/72627
ISSN: 1469-8749
PURE UUID: 1c7c22df-2b49-45d6-85c6-85158cd4aec8

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Date deposited: 19 Feb 2010
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 21:36

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Contributors

Author: Louise Marston
Author: Janet L. Peacock
Author: Sandra A. Calvert
Author: Anne Greenough
Author: Neil Marlow

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