Author(s): Van Agt HME
Objective: To identify the predictive value of early childhood factors for language outcome at ages 2 and 3. Method: A community-based sample of 2542 children, recruited at 18 months during their routine visit of a child health care centre, was followed in a prospective study in the Netherlands. Child and family characteristics and factors for social environment and neurobiological development were tested as predictors of a) language performance (child-test applied by child health care physician) at age 2, b) receptive language (child-test applied by parents) at age 3, c) expressive language (parent report) at age 3, and d) language delay (clinical diagnosis). Results: Predictive of language delay were male gender (OR 0.23; 95% CI: 0.12-0.46), high birth order (1st born, OR 1.85; CI: 0.98-3.52; 2nd born, OR 2.58; CI 1.15-5.79; 3rd born, OR 5.28; CI 1.45-19.3)) and late age (in months) of first walking (OR 1.17; CI: 1.05-1.30). Predictive for favourable language performance for both ages were being a girl, low birth order, early age of first walking, shared reading and singing together. The total predictor set explained only 10-25% of the variance. Conclusions: High risk selection based on a set of predictors might not be a valid strategy for early detection of language delays.
