Speech and language skills in children who required neonatal intensive care. II. Linguistic skills at 6 1/2 years of age.

Linguistic skills at 6 1/2 y of age were examined in a cohort of 284 children requiring neonatal intensive care (NIC) and in 40 controls. Ten linguistic areas were assessed. The results are presented for gestational age groups. The 10th percentile score of the controls was identified in each linguistic area. Seventy percent of the controls and <27% of the NIC children had no score lower than the 10th percentile score. Scores lower than the 10th percentile score were more common in NIC children born at term or at 23-31 wk, and within the latter group in those born at 28-31 wk, than in those born at 32-36 wk gestational age. The linguistic areas of auditory discrimination, imitation of articulatory positions and imitation of sentences were most frequently affected. NIC children born at 32-36 wk performed better in the last two areas than those born at <32 wk. To be a twin and born at 28-31 wk was associated with an increased risk of having more than five scores lower than the 10th percentile score of the controls.