Characterizing early detection of language difficulties in children born preterm

Abstract Background The optimal age for assessing language difficulties in premature children remains unclear. Aims To determine the most predictive and earliest screening tool for later language difficulties on children born preterm. Study design A prospective population-based study in the Loire Infant Follow-up Team LIFT Subjects All children born Outcome measures After 5years, the kindergarten teacher evaluated the vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation capacities of the child in comparison with the classroom performances. Results Among 1957 infants enrolled at discharge, 947 were assessed by their teacher with 12.2% (n=116) of language difficulties. Full data at all time points were available for 426 infants. The area under curve of the receiver operator characteristic curve obtained for the ASQ communication scale at 18months was significantly lower (0.65±0.09) than that obtained at 24months (0.77±0.08) and the languages items of Brunet Lezine test at 24months (0.77±0.08), and the ERTL at 4years (0.76±0.09). The optimal cut-off value for ASQ communication at 24months is ≤45 [sensitivity of 0.79 (95%CI: 0.70–0.86); specificity of 0.63 (95%CI: 0.59–0.66)]. Conclusions The Ages & Stages Questionnaire communication scale at 24 corrected months appears as an acceptable test at an early time point to identify preterm children at risk of later language difficulties.