Cognitive and language development in preterm infants

: A quantitative, analytical, and cross-sectional study was conducted between February and December 2012. The sample comprised ten preterm infants with a chronological age ranging between 24 and 42 months. These children were subjected to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development – III and evaluated according to cognitive, receptive, and expressive language subscales.

Results

: A statistical significance was observed when correlating chronological and corrected age with the age of cognitive and language development. In the correlation of chronological age with cognitive and language abilities, a statistical significance was observed regarding the ability to grasp and handle objects, and in the construction and object permanence capacity. In the correlation of developmental age with cognition and language abilities, a statistical significance was observed in all cognitive abilities. A significant correlation was not observed between ages of expressive language development and receptive language ability.

Conclusion

: A correlation between chronological and corrected ages with the ages of cognitive and language development was confirmed. Receptive and expressive language abilities showed a distinct development; however, they were dependent on the cognition.

Infant; Premature; Child development; Cognition; Language; Child health

	Chronological age
	Corr (%)	p-value
Age of cognitive development	68.1	0.030*
Age of receptive language development	57.0	0.085*
Age of expressive language development	64.4	0.044*

	Corrected age
	Corr (%)	p-value
Age of cognitive development	84.1	0.002*
Age of receptive language development	57.3	0.083*
Age of expressive language development	76.2	0.010*

		Chronological age
		Corr (%)	p-value
Cognitive abilities	Ability to grasp and handle objects	66.7	0.035*
	Construction and object permanence ability	67.8	0.031*
	Memory	52.2	0.150

Receptive language abilities	Identification of objects and referenced images	17.0	0.639
	Development of receptive vocabulary	-28.2	0.431
	Morphological development	25.0	0.550

Expressive language abilities	Joint referential	-51.1	0.131
	Development of expressive vocabulary (nomination)	0.3	0.992
	Morphosyntactic development	-38.7	0.344

			Age of cognitive development	Age of receptive language development	Age of expressive language development
Cognitive abilities	Ability to grasp and handle objects	Corr (%)	83.3	83.4	80.3
	Ability to grasp and handle objects	p-value	0.003*	0.003*	0.005*

	Construction and object permanence ability	Corr (%)	62.7	42.1	61.2
	Construction and object permanence ability	p-value	0.052*	0.225	0.060*

Receptive language abilities	Development of receptive vocabulary	Corr (%)	65.9	31.6	37.5
Receptive language abilities	Development of receptive vocabulary	p-value	0.038*	0.374	0.286

Expressive language abilities	Development of expressive vocabulary (nomination)	Corr (%)	66.9	52.3	75.4
Expressive language abilities	Development of expressive vocabulary (nomination)	p-value	0.034*	0.121	0.012*

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E-mail: revista@audiologiabrasil.org.br

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[1] Correspondence address
: Tatiana Plutarco Viana. R. Marcondes Pereira, 78, Joaquim Távora, Fortaleza (CE), Brazil, CEP: 60130-060. Email: tatianaplutarco@hotmail.com