2,013
Views
22
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

Late talkers and later language outcomes: Predicting the different language trajectories

, , , , &
Pages 237-250 | Received 14 Jul 2016, Accepted 11 Feb 2017, Published online: 25 Apr 2017
 

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to investigate the risk factors present at 2 years for children who showed language difficulties that persisted from 2 to 10 years and difficulties that emerged later, at 10 years.

Method: Participants (n = 783) were drawn from the Raine Study in Western Australia. Patterns of change from 2 to 10 years were identified based on child performance on the Language Development Survey and the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to test whether parental, family and child characteristics present at 2 years predicted poorer language outcomes at age 10.

Result: Across the 8 year period, 5.6% of the children displayed consistently low language skills, 5.9% improved skills and 23.2% deteriorated skills. Compared to children with consistently typical skills, the deteriorated group was more likely to have mothers who smoked during pregnancy, fathers with incomplete secondary education, low family income, poor early literacy environment and be male. Children showing consistently low language skills were more likely to have mothers who smoked during pregnancy than late talkers whose early delays improved.

Conclusion: Results provide evidence of some modifiable risk factors at 2 years which are associated with language outcome.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2017.1296191

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.