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Mahurin-Smith J, DeThorne LS, Petrill SA. Children Born Prematurely May Demonstrate Catch-Up Growth in Pre-Adolescence. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2021; 52:675-685. [PMID: 33656921 DOI: 10.1044/2020_lshss-20-00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Children born prematurely often score lower on standardized tests of language in early childhood. Less is known about longer term outcomes. This investigation considered language outcomes in pre-adolescent children born very preterm/very low birthweight, as assessed by both standardized test scores and language sample measures, and explored attention abilities as a possible moderating factor. Method The present investigation provided a longitudinal follow-up to Mahurin Smith et al. (2014) by examining the language outcomes of 84 children at the 11-year time point (39 with a history of prematurity and 45 born at full term) and a total of 82 at the 12-year time point (37 with a history of prematurity, 45 born at full term). Assessments included subtests of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals- Fourth Edition, productive language measures taken from narrative tasks, and parent and examiner ratings of attention. Results Gestational age significantly predicted standardized language scores at age 11 years, but this effect was no longer statistically significant at age 12 years. When parent ratings of attention were considered as additional variables, gestational age was no longer a significant predictor. Gestational age did not serve as a significant predictor for the productive language measures at either time point. Discussion Results indicate that catch-up growth in language may take place in pre-adolescence for many children born prematurely. Clinical implications focus on the need to utilize multiple forms of language assessment and to directly consider the potential role of attention on standard test results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Mahurin-Smith
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Illinois State University, Normal
| | - Laura S DeThorne
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo
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Cronin P, Goodall S. Measuring the Impact of Genetic and Environmental Risk and Protective Factors on Speech, Language, and Communication Development-Evidence from Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:4112. [PMID: 33924666 PMCID: PMC8070575 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Speech and language acquisition is one of the key development indicators of optimal literacy development in infancy and early childhood. Over the last decade there has been increasing interest in the development of theoretical frameworks which underpin the underlying complexity of a child's language developmental landscapes. This longitudinal study aims to measure the impact of genetic and environmental risk and protective factors on speech, language, and communication development (SLCN) among 5000 infants in Australia. Using robust panel fixed-effects models, the results demonstrate that there are clear and consistent effects of protective factors and SLCN associated with the infant's family [coefficient (SD) = 0.153, 95% standard error (SE) = 8.76], the in utero environment [coefficient (SD) = 0.055, standard error (SE) = 3.29] and early infant health [coefficient (SD) = 0.074, standard error (SE) = 5.28]. The impact of family and in utero health is dominant at aged 2 to 3 years (relative to 0 to 1 years) across the domains of language and communication and more dominant from birth to 1 years for speech acquisition. In contrast, the evidence for the impact of genetics on SLCN acquisition in infancy, is less clear. The evidence from this study can be used to inform intervention policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Cronin
- Centre of Health Economics, Research and Evaluation (CHERE), Faculty of Business, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo 2007, Australia;
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Denman D, Cordier R, Kim JH, Munro N, Speyer R. What Influences Speech-Language Pathologists' Use of Different Types of Language Assessments for Elementary School-Age Children? Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2021; 52:776-793. [PMID: 33848195 DOI: 10.1044/2021_lshss-20-00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study reports on data from a survey of speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) language assessment practices for elementary school-age children. The objective was to investigate the regularity with which SLPs use different types of assessments (described across data types, task types, environmental contexts, and dynamic features). This study also investigated factors that influence assessment practice, the main sources from which SLPs obtain information on language assessment and the main challenges reported by SLPs in relation to language assessment. Method A web-based survey was used to collect information from 407 Australian SLPs regarding the types of assessments they use. Factors that influenced the regularity with which different types of assessments were used were investigated using regression analysis. Results Most SLPs regularly used assessments that are norm-referenced, decontextualized, and conducted in a clinical context and less regularly used other types of assessments. Service agency, Australian state, and SLPs' years of experience were found to influence the regularity with which some types of assessments were used. Informal discussions with colleagues were the most frequently identified source of information on assessment practice. Main challenges related to limited time, lack of assessment materials, and lack of confidence in assessing children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Conclusions SLPs could improve current language assessment practice for elementary school-age children through more regular use of some types of assessments. Actions to facilitate evidence-based assessment practice should consider the contextual differences that exist between service agencies and states and address challenges that SLPs experience in relation to language assessment. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14378948.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Denman
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Reinie Cordier
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Jae-Hyun Kim
- Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Munro
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Renée Speyer
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Norway.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
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