Language development of premature children followed up in an outpatient clinic: a preliminary study

Purpose  To verify the association between language development and sociodemographic, peri- and postnatal aspects of children with a history of prematurity followed up in an outpatient clinic.

Methods  This was an observational, analytical, cross-sectional, and preliminary study comprising 61 preterm infants aged between 12 months (corrected age) and 65 months (chronological age). Language development was assessed using the raw scores of the ADL-2 Scale in receptive, expressive, and global modalities. Sociodemographic, peri-, and postnatal information was obtained through medical record analysis. Data were subjected to descriptive, association, and correlation analyses.

Results  Descriptive analysis indicated lower language scores among male children, those from lower socioeconomic classes, those born via cesarean delivery, and those with a history of intracranial hemorrhage. No statistically significant associations or correlations were found.

Conclusion  Although no statistically significant associations were observed, the descriptive findings suggest possible influences of sex, socioeconomic status, mode of delivery, and intracranial hemorrhage on the language performance of preterm infants. The results reinforce the importance of considering multiple factors in the language development of preterm children, suggesting longitudinal follow-up for timely interventions.

Keywords:
Premature Birth; Child Language; Language Development; Child; Diagnosis