Growth patterns among infants with language deficits: A case-control study

We compared growth parameters in infants with language delay to those in ch ildren with global delay and to typical controls. Thirty infants with expre ssive language delay and 36 with combined expressive and receptive language delay were compared with 27 infants with general development delay and wit h 124 controls. Data on weight, height, head circumference, and feeding beh avior were obtained from birth up to age 78 weeks, and converted to percent iles. Medical and sociodemographic data were also evaluated. The weight cur ves in the combined expressive and receptive language delay group were sign ificantly lower than in the comparison groups, but no cases of failure to t hrive were noted. Height and head circumference curves in the combined expr essive and receptive language delay group were also lower than in the typic al controls. Infants with combined expressive and receptive language delay were lighter and shorter than controls. However, none of the parameters wer e more than two standard deviations below the mean. It is possible that thi s finding is of constitutional origin.