SPEECH AND LANGUAGE OUTCOMES IN PRESCHOOL-AGED SURVIVORS OF NEONATAL INTENSIVE-CARE

This paper reports on the second stage of a longitudinal follow-up of the speech and language outcomes in a cohort of children who required neonatal intensive care. From 3 years of age, when the first stage was completed, to preschool age, the rate for major overall communication problems rose from 13% to 17%. However, when children with frank neur ological or intellectual problems were excluded, this figure dropped t o 8%. The impact of perinatal, medical and environmental variables on speech and language outcomes was again investigated. Differences were found between those that were important at 3 years of age and those th at were important at preschool age. New variables emerged as contribut ing to language expression, including gender and the perinatal variabl es, gestational age and respiratory distress syndrome. Maternal educat ion level was even more important to language comprehension at prescho ol age than at 3 years of age. Factors that might explain improvement, or lack of improvement, in speech and language skills are discussed.