title: Linguistic features in children born very preterm at preschool age.
abstract: This cross-sectional study focused on the effect of very preterm (VPT) birth on language development by analysing phonological, lexical, grammatical, and pragmatic skills and assessing the role of cognitive and memory skills.
  
  
  
  Sixty children (29 males, 31 females) born VPT (<32wks) aged 5 years were compared with 60 children with typical development. The linguistic assessment was performed by administering a battery of Italian tests for the evaluation of language; cognitive and memory skills were assessed by Raven's coloured progressive matrices and digit span subtest (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children [WISC-III]).
  
  
  
  Children born VPT showed delays in lexical (comprehension: z-score difference -1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.60 to -0.77; naming: -0.88; 95% CI -1.19 to -0.58) and pragmatic skills (comprehension: -0.76; 95% CI -1.02 to -0.49; narrative production: -0.47; 95% CI -0.72 to -0.23). Delays in phonology and grammar were less diffuse, involving productive skills (-1.09; 95% CI -1.64 to -0.54; -0.48; 95% CI -0.85 to -0.12, respectively), and were dependent by cognitive and memory skills. Lexical delays were more specific.
  
  
  
  The linguistic profile of children born preterm is characterized by some abilities more impaired than others. This highlights the need of a linguistic assessment at the end of preschool age in order to plan a focused intervention aimed at improving lexical and pragmatic skills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarini
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Sciences, University of Udine & Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.affiliation: Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alessandroni
authors.affiliation: Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faldella
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sansavini
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D007804:Language Development; D008037:Linguistics; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies