Language Performance Of Children Research Articles

A longitudinal study of maternal interaction strategies during joint book-reading in Taiwan.

This longitudinal study examines change in maternal interaction strategies in Taiwanese mothers across time, and the synchronic and diachronic relationships between maternal interaction strategies and children's language and early literacy skills. Forty-two mother-child dyads participated in this study. Their interactions during joint book-reading were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed when the children were fourteen, twenty-six, and thirty-six months of age. The children received a battery of language and early literacy tests when they were thirty-six months old. Findings showed that Taiwanese mothers adjusted their use of interaction strategies as their children grew. Maternal use of description, performance, prediction inference, and print-related talk were positively correlated with their children's language and literacy skills. Significant negative correlations were found between use of task-behavioral regulation strategy and text reading in mothers and their children's language performance. This study suggests that age-appropriate interaction strategies are important for children's language and early literacy development.

Computational approaches to word retrieval in bilinguals

The cognitive architecture of human language processing has been studied for decades, but using computational modeling for such studies is a relatively recent topic. Indeed, computational approaches to language processing have become increasingly popular in our field, mainly due to advances in computational modeling techniques and the availability of large collections of experimental data. Language learning, particularly child language learning, has been the subject of many computational models. By simulating the process of child language learning, computational models may indeed teach us which linguistic representations are learnable from the input that children have access to (and which are not), as well as which mechanisms yield the same patterns of behavior that are found in children's language performance.

Informal language stimulation rather than corrective feedback matters in Estonian children's language performance

The study examined associations between Estonian children's language performance and their mothers' self-reported language teaching practices, and factors related to the frequency of using these language teaching practices. Mothers reported their language teaching practices, child-rearing value orientation, and their children's expressive vocabulary at 36 months (N = 88; Mage = 35.85) via the ECDI-II. Language comprehension and production were directly assessed using the New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS). Girls outperformed boys on language production. Children of mothers with university education scored higher than others on all language measures. Mothers with stronger autonomy orientation and fewer children reported more frequent use of informal language stimulation and corrective feedback. Self-reported informal language stimulation was positively related to children's expressive vocabulary and language comprehension, whereas corrective feedback was negatively linked to children's language comprehension and production. This study highlights the importance of engaging language-learning children into conversations rather than explicitly correcting their speech.

Does Exposure to Code-Switching Influence Language Performance in Bilingual Children?

This study investigated whether the effect of exposure to code-switching on bilingual children's language performance varied depending on verbal working memory (WM). A large sample of school-aged Spanish-English bilingual children (N=174, Mage =7.78) was recruited, and children were administered language measures in English and Spanish. The frequency with which the children were exposed to code-switching was gathered through parent report. For children with high verbal WM, greater exposure to code-switching was associated with higher levels of language ability. In contrast, for children with lower verbal WM, greater exposure to code-switching was associated with lower levels of language ability. These findings indicate that children's cognitive processing capacity dictates whether exposure to code-switching facilitates or hinders language skills.

Child, Mother, Father, and Teacher Beliefs About Child Academic Competence: Predicting Math and Reading Performance in European American Adolescents.

Beliefs about child competence in math and reading have important implications for academic performance in adolescence. However, it is unclear whether children's own beliefs are the most important predictor of their academic performance or whether parents' and teachers' beliefs about child competence influence child academic performance. We assessed mothers', fathers', teachers', and children's beliefs about European American children's (N=189) competence in math and reading at age 10 and children's math and language performance at ages 10, 13, and 18years. Confirmatory factor models demonstrated that children's and teachers' beliefs had lower loadings on a latent variable of child competence in math and reading than mothers' beliefs. Children's self-competence beliefs in math and reading were not significantly correlated, suggesting children may use dimensional comparisons when assessing their own competence. Mothers', fathers', and teachers' assessments of child competence in math were strongly correlated with their assessments of child competence in reading. Controlling for stability in academic performance, family socioeconomic status, and other reporters, mothers and fathers who rated their children's math competence higher had adolescents who performed better in math, and fathers who rated their children's reading competence higher had adolescents who performed better in language tasks. However, children who rated their own competence higher in math and reading had lower math and language (for girls only) performance in adolescence. European American children may use dimensional comparisons that render them poorer judges of their math and reading competence than parents.

Associations between maternal responsive linguistic input and child language performance at age 4 in a community-based sample of slow-to-talk toddlers.

In a community sample of slow-to-talk toddlers, we aimed to (a) quantify how well maternal responsive behaviors at age 2years predict language ability at age 4 and (b) examine whether maternal responsive behaviors more accurately predict low language status at age 4 than does expressive vocabulary measured at age 2years. Prospective community-based longitudinal study. At child age 18months, 1,138 parents completed a 100-word expressive vocabulary checklist within a population survey; 251 (22.1%) children scored ≤20th percentile and were eligible for the current study. Potential predictors at 2years were (a) responsive language behaviors derived from videotaped parent-child free-play samples and (b) late-talker status. Outcomes were (a) Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool Second Edition receptive and expressive language standard score at 4years and (b) low language status (standard score>1.25 standard deviations below the mean on expressive or receptive language). Two hundred eight (82.9% of 251) participants were retained to age 4. In adjusted linear regression analyses, maternal expansions predicted higher receptive (p<0.001, partial R2 =6.5%) and expressive (p<0.001, partial R2 =7.7%), whereas labels predicted lower receptive (p=0.01, partial R2 =2.8%) and expressive (p=0.007, partial R2 =3.5%) language scores at 4. The logistic regression model containing only responsive behaviors achieved "fair" predictive ability of low language status at age 4 (area under curve [AUC]=0.79), slightly better than the model containing only late-talker status (AUC=0.74). This improved to "good" predictive ability with inclusion of other known risk factors (AUC=0.82). A combination of short measures of different dimensions, such as parent responsive behaviors, in addition to a child's earlier language skills increases the ability to predict language outcomes at age 4 to a precision that is approaching clinical value. Research to further enhance predictive values should be a priority, enabling health professionals to identify which slow-to-talk toddlers most likely will or will not experience later poorer language.

The relationship of undernutrition/psychosocial factors and developmental outcomes of children in extreme poverty in Ethiopia

BackgroundExtreme poverty is severe deprivation of basic needs and services. Children living in extreme poverty may lack adequate parental care and face increased developmental and health risks. However, there is a paucity of literature on the combined influences of undernutrition and psychosocial factors (such as limited play materials, playground, playtime, interactions of children with their peers and mother-child interaction) on children’s developmental outcomes. The main objective of this study was, therefore, to ascertain the association of developmental outcomes and psychosocial factors after controlling nutritional indices.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study design was used to compare the developmental outcomes of extremely poor children (N = 819: 420 girls and 399 boys) younger than 5 years versus age-matched reference children (N = 819: 414 girls and 405 boys) in South-West Ethiopia. Using Denver II-Jimma, development in personal-social, language, fine and gross motor skills were assessed, and social-emotional skills were evaluated using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE). Nutritional status was derived from the anthropometric method. Independent samples t-test was used to detect mean differences in developmental outcomes between extremely poor and reference children. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to identify nutritional and psychosocial factors associated with the developmental scores of children in extreme poverty.ResultsChildren in extreme poverty performed worse in all the developmental domains than the reference children. Among the 819 extremely poor children, 325 (39.7%) were stunted, 135 (16.5%) were underweight and 27 (3.3%) were wasted. The results also disclosed that stunting and underweightness were negatively associated with all the developmental skills. After taking into account the effects of stunting and being underweight on the developmental scores, it was observed that limited play activities, limited child-to-child interactions and mother-child relationships were negatively related mainly to gross motor and language performances of children in extreme poverty.ConclusionUndernutrition and psychosocial factors were negatively related to the developmental outcomes, independently, of children living in extreme poverty. Intervention, for these children, should integrate home-based play-assisted developmental stimulation and nutritional rehabilitation.

Heidelberg interaction training for language promotion in early childhood settings (HIT)

AbstractBeside parents, teachers in early childhood education and care have the greatest potential to foster language acquisition in children. This is especially important for children with language delays, language disorders or bi‐/multilingual children. However, they present teachers with a particular challenge in language support. Therefore, integrated language facilitation programmes are needed to promote language acquisition in the daily routine of daycare facilities and kindergartens. In this article, the Heidelberg Interaction Training for Language Promotion in Early Childhood Settings (HIT) is presented as a systematic approach to improve daily interactions between preschool teachers and children. This group training comprises six half‐day sessions over a period of six months. The objective is to expand teachers’ knowledge about language development in general and more specifically regarding children with language problems or bi‐/multilingual children. Furthermore, teachers learn a responsive interaction style and various strategies of language modelling by means of video supervision and feedback. Teachers’ satisfaction with the training has been evaluated and its efficacy in terms of changes in their behaviour and children's language performance has been proven in several intervention studies and meta‐analytic reviews. Lastly, implementation considerations for lasting effects following the HIT are discussed.

Longitudinal Associations Across Prematurity, Attention, and Language in School-Age Children.

This research note explores the potential role of attention in mediating previously reported associations between language outcomes and prematurity. As a follow-up investigation to Mahurin Smith, DeThorne, Logan, Channell, and Petrill (2014), we employed multilevel modeling to analyze longitudinal data on language and attention collected when children were, on average, ages of 7, 8, and 10 years. The sample of 114 children taken from the Western Reserve Reading and Math Project was selected to oversample children with a history of prematurity while also controlling for differences in confounding influences such as age, gender, parental education, and race. As predicted, attention differentially predicted language outcomes based on form of measurement. Specifically, parent and examiner ratings of attention were significantly associated with standardized test performance at all 3 time points (R2 = 15.2%-20%). Associations between attention and language sample measures were less consistent across home visits and tended to be smaller in effect size. Attention abilities are associated with children's language performance even in the absence of an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis. Clinical implications, particularly as related to assessment, are discussed.

The association between the early motor repertoire and language development in term children born after normal pregnancy

BackgroundThe assessment of the early motor repertoire is a widely used method for assessing the infant's neurological status. AimTo determine the association between the early motor repertoire and language development. Study designProspective cohort study. Subjects22 term children born after normal pregnancy; video recorded for the assessment of the early motor repertoire including their motor optimality score (MOS), according to Prechtl, at 3 and 5months post term. Outcome measuresAt 4years 7months and 10years 5months, we tested the children's language performance by administering three tests for expressive language and two for receptive language. ResultsSmooth and fluent movements at 3months of age was associated with better expressive language outcome at both 4years 7months and 10years 5months (betas 0.363 and 0.628). A higher MOS at 5months was associated with better expressive language at both ages (betas 0.486 and 0.628). The item postural patterns at 5months was the only aspect associated with poorer expressive language outcome (beta −0.677). ConclusionPredominantly, qualitative aspects of the early motor repertoire at the age of 3 and 5months are associated with language development.

Does household access to improved water and sanitation in infancy and childhood predict better vocabulary test performance in Ethiopian, Indian, Peruvian and Vietnamese cohort studies?

ObjectiveTest associations between household water and sanitation (W&S) and children's concurrent and subsequent Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) scores.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingEthiopia, India, Peru, Vietnam.Participants7269 children.Primary outcome measuresPPVT scores at 5...

The Development of Japanese Modality and the Influence of Bilingual Acquisition

This paper examines the development of Japanese modality in children's speech and the influence of bilingual acquisition. We use data collected longitudinally from six Japanese monolingual children and three Japanese-English bilingual children. We compare their speech to analyze if there are any influences during the development of Japanese modality when acquiring two languages. Our data shows that children start using a variety of Japanese modal expressions before becoming five-years-old. Bilingual children also use a variety of modal expressions; however, the frequency rate of modal forms produced by an English dominant bilingual child is much lower than with a monolingual child. The results suggest that production frequency and the adequate usage of modal expressions may be used as an indicator in evaluating bilingual children's language development and performance.

Receptive and expressive language performance in children with and without Cleft Lip and Palate.

To compare the performance in the abilities of receptive and expressive language of children with cleft lip and palate with that of children without cleft lip and palate with typical 12 to 36-month chronological development. The sample consisted of 60 children aged 12 and 36 months: 30 with cleft lip and palate diagnosis and 30 without cleft lip and palate diagnosis with typical development. The groups were paired according to gender, age (in months), and socioeconomic level. The procedures consisted of analysis of medical records, anamnesis with family members, and valuation of the Early Language Milestone Scale (ELMS). The chart analysis showed 63.34% of the children with unilateral cleft lip and palate, 16.66% with bilateral incisive transforamen cleft, and 20% with post-foramen cleft. Children with cleft lip and palate underwent surgeries (lip repair and/or palatoplasty) at the recommended ages and participated in early intervention programs; 40% presented recurrent otitis history, and 50% attended schools. Statistical analysis included the use of the Mann Whitney test with significance level of p <0.05. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups regarding receptive and expressive skills. The group of children with cleft lip and palate showed statistically significant low performance in receptive and expressive language compared with children without cleft lip and palate.

How does restricted and repetitive behavior relate to language and cognition in typical development?

Relations between restricted and repetitive behavior at age 26 months and children's concurrent (N = 203) and later (n = 161) social cognition and language development were investigated. Restricted and repetitive behavior was assessed using two scales: sensory and motor repetitive behaviors and rigidity/routines/restricted interests. Language was assessed at ages 26 and 51 months; social cognition was assessed at ages 26 (symbolic play) and 51 and 61 months (theory of mind). Sensory and motor repetitive behavior was negatively related to children's (a) language performance at 26 and 51 months, (b) instructed symbolic play at 26 months, and (c) theory of mind performance at 51 and 61 months. Path analyses showed that children's sensory and motor repetitive behavior at age 26 months was related to lower receptive verbal ability and theory of mind at 51 months, which led to lower theory of mind at 61 months. Rigidity/routines/restricted interests at 26 months were unrelated to concurrent and later social cognition and language. These results are discussed in terms of the pathways via which sensory and motor repetitive behavior might impact negatively on development.

Auditory and verbal memory predictors of spoken language skills in children with cochlear implants

BackgroundLarge variability in individual spoken language outcomes remains a persistent finding in the group of children with cochlear implants (CIs), particularly in their grammatical development. AimsIn the present study, we examined the extent of delay in lexical and morphosyntactic spoken language levels of children with CIs as compared to those of a normative sample of age-matched children with normal hearing. Furthermore, the predictive value of auditory and verbal memory factors in the spoken language performance of implanted children was analyzed. Methods & proceduresThirty-nine profoundly deaf children with CIs were assessed using a test battery including measures of lexical, grammatical, auditory and verbal memory tests. Furthermore, child-related demographic characteristics were taken into account. Outcomes & resultsThe majority of the children with CIs did not reach age-equivalent lexical and morphosyntactic language skills. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that lexical spoken language performance in children with CIs was best predicted by age at testing, phoneme perception, and auditory word closure. The morphosyntactic language outcomes of the CI group were best predicted by lexicon, auditory word closure, and auditory memory for words. ConclusionsQualitatively good speech perception skills appear to be crucial for lexical and grammatical development in children with CIs. Furthermore, strongly developed vocabulary skills and verbal memory abilities predict morphosyntactic language skills.

FMRI as a Preimplant Objective Tool to Predict Postimplant Oral Language Outcomes in Children with Cochlear Implants.

Despite the positive effects of cochlear implantation, postimplant variability in speech perception and oral language outcomes is still difficult to predict. The aim of this study was to identify neuroimaging biomarkers of postimplant speech perception and oral language performance in children with hearing loss who receive a cochlear implant. The authors hypothesized positive correlations between blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation in brain regions related to auditory language processing and attention and scores on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool, Second Edition (CELF-P2) and the Early Speech Perception Test for Profoundly Hearing-Impaired Children (ESP), in children with congenital hearing loss. Eleven children with congenital hearing loss were recruited for the present study based on referral for clinical MRI and other inclusion criteria. All participants were <24 months at fMRI scanning and <36 months at first implantation. A silent background fMRI acquisition method was performed to acquire fMRI during auditory stimulation. A voxel-based analysis technique was utilized to generate z maps showing significant contrast in brain activation between auditory stimulation conditions (spoken narratives and narrow band noise). CELF-P2 and ESP were administered 2 years after implantation. Because most participants reached a ceiling on ESP, a voxel-wise regression analysis was performed between preimplant fMRI activation and postimplant CELF-P2 scores alone. Age at implantation and preimplant hearing thresholds were controlled in this regression analysis. Four brain regions were found to be significantly correlated with CELF-P2 scores. These clusters of positive correlation encompassed the temporo-parieto-occipital junction, areas in the prefrontal cortex and the cingulate gyrus. For the story versus silence contrast, CELF-P2 core language score demonstrated significant positive correlation with activation in the right angular gyrus (r = 0.95), left medial frontal gyrus (r = 0.94), and left cingulate gyrus (r = 0.96). For the narrow band noise versus silence contrast, the CELF-P2 core language score exhibited significant positive correlation with activation in the left angular gyrus (r = 0.89; for all clusters, corrected p < 0.05). Four brain regions related to language function and attention were identified that correlated with CELF-P2. Children with better oral language performance postimplant displayed greater activation in these regions preimplant. The results suggest that despite auditory deprivation, these regions are more receptive to gains in oral language development performance of children with hearing loss who receive early intervention via cochlear implantation. The present study suggests that oral language outcome following cochlear implant may be predicted by preimplant fMRI with auditory stimulation using natural speech.

Cognitive and language performance in children is associated with maternal social anxiety disorder: A study of young mothers in southern Brazil

BackgroundIt has been shown that maternal mental health is associated with poorer skills development in the offspring. However, the evidence evaluating the association between social anxiety disorder (SAD) and cognitive or language development, is scarce. AimTo evaluate the association between maternal SAD and performance in cognitive and language tests in 30-month old children. Study designThis was a cohort study involving young women evaluated since pregnancy. SubjectsWe evaluated 520 mother–child dyads who received prenatal medical assistance through the National Public Health System in a southern Brazilian city, from October 2009 to March 2011. Outcome measuresWe used the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus (MINI Plus) to assess SAD among young mothers. Cognitive and language performance in their offspring was analyzed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development – 3rd Edition. ResultsWe found an association between maternal SAD and performance in cognitive and language tests. Children of mothers with SAD had in average 4.5 less points in the Bayley scale, when compared to those with mothers without SAD: in the cognitive (β=−4.53 [95% CI −7.8; −1.1] p=0.008) and language subscales (β=−4.54 [95% CI −9.0; −0.5] p=0.047). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that children with mothers suffering from SAD have poorer cognitive abilities and language skills.

Brain structural correlates of complex sentence comprehension in children

Prior structural imaging studies found initial evidence for the link between structural gray matter changes and the development of language performance in children. However, previous studies generally only focused on sentence comprehension. Therefore, little is known about the relationship between structural properties of brain regions relevant to sentence processing and more specific cognitive abilities underlying complex sentence comprehension. In this study, whole-brain magnetic resonance images from 59 children between 5 and 8 years were assessed. Scores on a standardized sentence comprehension test determined grammatical proficiency of our participants. A confirmatory factory analysis corroborated a grammar-relevant and a verbal working memory-relevant factor underlying the measured performance. Voxel-based morphometry of gray matter revealed that while children's ability to assign thematic roles is positively correlated with gray matter probability (GMP) in the left inferior temporal gyrus and the left inferior frontal gyrus, verbal working memory-related performance is positively correlated with GMP in the left parietal operculum extending into the posterior superior temporal gyrus. Since these areas are known to be differentially engaged in adults’ complex sentence processing, our data suggest a specific correspondence between children's GMP in language-relevant brain regions and differential cognitive abilities that guide their sentence comprehension.

Maternal distress during pregnancy and language development in preschool age: A population-based cohort study

Recent studies have emphasized the importance of the prenatal period for children's cognitive development. Prenatal exposure to psychological distress has been identified as one potential agent affecting neurodevelopment, although research in this area has been marked by some contradictory findings and methodological limitations. This study aimed to investigate the effect of maternal distress during pregnancy on language development of preschool children. This study was based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The sample was composed of 34,089 women and their children. We assessed the role of maternal prenatal distress on child language over and above that of premature low birth weight (PLBW) status and postnatal maternal distress. Fear of giving birth had a negative impact on language outcome at age three over and above the effect of PLBW status and postnatal maternal distress. However, this effect was of minimal magnitude. Moreover, when examining whether differences in language skills between siblings were associated with differences in experienced levels of prenatal stress across pregnancies (sibling fixed-effects models), no significant effects were found. Our study suggests that prenatal distress within moderate limits does not seem to have an independent impact on child language performance in the preschool years and emphasizes the importance of considering the contextual role played by more stable maternal and family characteristics.

The etiology of möbius syndrome: a social problem?

In this edition, we would like to highlight the article Mobius Syndrome (MS): Misoprostol Use and Speech and Language Characteristics. This study aims to verify speech and language performance of children with MS whose mothers reported use of misoprostol (Cytotec, Pfizer, Connecticut, United States) compared with children with MS from mothers who did not report use. The sample of this study consisted of 18 girls and boys with a previous diagnosis of MS, aged from 4 months to 10 years. The stomatognathic system beyond receptive and expressive language and speech was evaluated in children with MS, and their mothers were questioned whether they used misoprostol during the pregnancy or not. From the total, 61.1% admitted taking the drug Cytotec at some time during pregnancy, usually in the first few weeks. The researchers concluded that there was a large contingent of women who took misoprostol without knowing its teratogenic action. Moreover, the lack of facial expressions and speech disorders were common characteristics of the individuals with MS, whether the mothers took misoprostol during the pregnancy or not. MS is described as a very rare disease with just 500 cases reported worldwide by the year 2008.1 It is a congenital condition characterized by facial unilateral or bilateral paralysis, complete or incomplete, in association with bilateral palsy of abducens nerve. The child may concomitantly present lingual weakness, and ∼30% of cases present talipes equinovarus (deformity of the feet). It is postulated that this syndrome arises from abnormal development of the seventh cranial nerve, facial muscles, or motor nucleus of the facial nerve; other causes include intrauterine hypoxia.2 3 However, other cranial nerves, unilateral or bilateral, may also be involved, causing ptosis, divergent strabismus, deafness, disturbances of sensibility in regions innervated by the trigeminal nerve, dysphagia, dysphonia, and tongue atrophy, which can be verified in different combinations.4 Misoprostol is a synthetic drug similar to prostaglandin E1, administered orally for prevention and treatment of gastric ulcer. It is a drug widely used in obstetrics for its uterotonic action and may cause abortion, embryonic death of the fetus, and changes in labor. Although not approved for clinical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, misoprostol is widely used for abortion purposes in Latin America, mainly in Brazil.5 6 7 The popularization of misoprostol as an abortifacient in our environment led to many studies linking the drug as the cause of the increased number of cases of MS in recent years.8 9 In a systematic review, aiming to estimate the risk of congenital anomalies and other adverse events in children exposed to misoprostol during fetal life, the authors concluded that prenatal exposure to misoprostol is associated with an increased risk of MS and terminal transverse limb defects. The data source consisted of case–control studies that analyzed the effect of prenatal exposure to misoprostol on pregnancy outcome, which were located in electronic databases and published up to June 2005.9 Therefore, the research presented here has great scientific importance to clarify the etiopathogenic aspects of the syndrome as more patients are being studied. Furthermore, the possibility to investigate a larger number of cases expands the opportunity to better characterize clinical conditions, methods of assessment, prognosis, and prevention program development, as well as health promotion of individuals diagnosed with MS. Geraldo Pereira Jotz Editor-Chefe International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology