The performance of very low birth weight preterm infants, in terms of cognition and expressive language, was analyzed and compared with that of term infants with the Protocol for Expressive Language and Cognition Development Observation (PELCDO). The study involved 12 very low birth weight preterm infants and 20 term infants, all of whom were evaluated monthly. Sessions were videotaped, and data were analyzed according to this specific protocol. Our results suggest that cognition and expressive language develop significantly later in very low birth weight preterm infants than in the term. We found positive correlations for cognitive and expressive language development, the delay becoming more evident after 6 months of age, persisting through the sensorimotor period, and continuing into the beginning of preoperational period, indicating the importance of follow-up evaluation, defining the true needs of such infants and identifying the ideal moment for speech-language intervention.
infant very low birth weight; language; cognition; infant; premature; protocol
