Specific language impairment is associated with maternal and family factors.
This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with specific language impairment (SLI).



In a nested case-control design, 253 children attending special needs schools for severe speech and language difficulties in the Netherlands were matched for sex and date of birth with 253 children attending mainstream education. Data on perinatal, maternal and family issues were retrieved from well-child care files registered shortly after birth.



Children with SLI had younger mothers than children in the control group (mean 30 years 9 months vs. mean 31 years 9 months) (P = 0.02). Children with SLI were less frequently breastfed directly after birth (55% vs. 71%) (P = 0.0007) and were less frequently firstborns (33.3% vs. 46.2%) (P = 0.002). No statistically significant differences were found for any of the other risk factors.



A relationship was found between SLI and maternal age, being breastfed and place in the birth order. Perinatal risk factors do not seem to be strongly associated with SLI.
Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
F B
0000-0002-7718-4480
FB
Diepeveen
Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
P
P
van Dommelen
Willem-Alexander Children's Hospital, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
A M
AM
Oudesluys-Murphy
Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
P H
PH
Verkerk
D000328:Adult; D001722:Birth Order / Q000523:psychology*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
being breastfed; birth order; language disorder; maternal influences; perinatal risk factors