Failure to meet language milestones at two years of age is predictive of specific language impairment
Aim This study established predictive properties of single language milestones for specific language impairment (SLI) after the age of four, as these had not previously been reported in the literature. Methods In this nested case–control study, children attending special needs schools for severe spe...
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Published in | Acta Paediatrica Vol. 105; no. 3; pp. 304 - 310 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Norway
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
01.03.2016
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Aim
This study established predictive properties of single language milestones for specific language impairment (SLI) after the age of four, as these had not previously been reported in the literature.
Methods
In this nested case–control study, children attending special needs schools for severe speech and language difficulties were matched with children attending mainstream schools. Data covering the ages of zero to four years were retrieved from well‐child care clinics and the outcomes of 23 language milestones in the Dutch Developmental Instrument were analysed. The predictive properties were expressed as positive likelihood ratios, sensitivity and specificity.
Results
We included 253 pairs of children with and without SLI, aged from four to 11 years. The mean age was eight years and three months, and 77% were boys. From the age of 18 months, cases and controls differed significantly on all milestones (p < 0.01). After 24 months, the language milestones had positive likelihood ratios that ranging from 6 to 108. In general, language milestones had a high specificity (range 77–100%), but the sensitivity was relatively low (range 0–68%).
Conclusion
Failure to meet language milestones from the age of 24 months was predictive of SLI, but the use of separate milestones had limited value due to low sensitivity. |
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Bibliography: | ZonMw, the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development - No. 200320016 istex:866325979D5B9A234298E62523B096B70EA8E7C7 ark:/67375/WNG-1ZRFXDZ8-M ArticleID:APA13271 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0803-5253 1651-2227 |
DOI: | 10.1111/apa.13271 |