Language Development of Non-handicapped Low Birth Weight Infants

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the developmental delay in non- handicapped low birth weight infants, with an emphasis on the delayed language development and the perinatal risk factors affected early language development. METHODS: The sample consisted of 31 preterm infants with birth weight less than or equal to 2,000 g who had no obvious neurological impairment at the age of 18-32 months. Each infant was assessed using three instruments; the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, the Capute Scales, and the Sequenced Language Scale for Infants (SELSI). RESULTS: On Bayley Scales of Infant Development, mental developmental index (MDI) was 81.0+/-17.1 and psychomotor developmental index (PDI) was 90.3+/-13.7. On the Capute scales, 38.7% of infants exhibited a significant language delay, below 70 at the age of 18- 32 months. On the SELSI, expressive language was delayed 5.7 months, receptive language, 5.4 months. On the Capute scales, expressive language was significantly related with gestational age and duration of oxygen therapy. Receptive language was associated with gestational age only. On the SELSI, language developmental quotient was influenced by gestational age, days on ventilation, and duration of oxygen therapy. CONCLUSION: 38.7% of non-handicapped low birth weight infants exhibited clinically significant delay in language development at the age of 18-32 months. Language delay was significantly related with gestational age, days on ventilation, and duration of oxygen therapy. The most single significant perinatal risk factor for language delay was gestational age.