ABSTRACT
Purpose:
this article aims at investigating the relation between the hearing abilities in the first year of life and the diagnosis of language between 2 and 4 years of age in preterm infants born weighing less than 2,000 grams.
Methods:
the infants were selected from the database of this program composing a group of 54 infants with transient evoked otoacoustic emissions present in the first three months, with an auditory behavior between 6 and 18 months and an evaluation of language between 2 and 4 years of age.
Results:
there were no statistically significant differences between the occurrence of cochlear-palpebral reflex and the ability of sound localization between 6 and 18 months regarding result of language assessment. Regarding the ability of recognition of verbal commands for children aged between 12 and 18 months, there was a statistically significant difference. Infants who present alteration on the recognition of verbal commands from 12 to 18 months are 12.25 times more likely to have language alteration at the age between 2 and 4 years.
Conclusion:
there is a relation between alteration on the recognition of verbal commands for children aged between 12 and 18 months and the alteration in the result of language evaluation for those aged between 2 and 4 years.
Keywords:
Infant; Premature; Hearing; Language
