Language differences in young children with myelomeningocele and shunted hydrocephalus. 2003

Behroze Vachha, and Richard Adams
Program in Human Development and Communication Sciences: Cognition and Neuroscience, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, Tex. 75219, USA. Behroze.Vachha@tsrh.org

OBJECTIVE This comparative cohort study examined language differences in young children (preschool to first grade) with myelomeningocele and shunted hydrocephalus (MM/SH). METHODS A well-validated, standardized language test was administered to 17 children with MM/SH (age range 4-6 years) and 16 age-matched, nonaffected children. RESULTS Standard scores were obtained within lexical/semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic domains. An analysis of performance on individual subtests within the lexical/semantic domain was striking. Children with MM/SH performed significantly worse (p<0.01) on a test measuring the comprehension of words representing important early learning concepts and on pragmatic tasks that measured their ability to use language functionally in social situations. CONCLUSIONS Words representing basic precepts and concepts are commonly used in instructions to children in early childhood. Difficulty with functional pragmatic language results in suboptimal communication skills. Academic and community implications are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007360 Intelligence The ability to learn and to deal with new situations and to deal effectively with tasks involving abstractions.
D007806 Language Disorders Conditions characterized by deficiencies of comprehension or expression of written and spoken forms of language. These include acquired and developmental disorders. Acquired Language Disorders,Language Disorders, Acquired,Acquired Language Disorder,Language Disorder,Language Disorder, Acquired
D007807 Language Tests Tests designed to assess language behavior and abilities. They include tests of vocabulary, comprehension, grammar and functional use of language, e.g., Development Sentence Scoring, Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale, Parsons Language Sample, Utah Test of Language Development, Michigan Language Inventory and Verbal Language Development Scale, Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, Northwestern Syntax Screening Test, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Ammons Full-Range Picture Vocabulary Test, and Assessment of Children's Language Comprehension. Language Comprehension Tests,Vocabulary Tests,Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination,Boston Naming Test,Comprehensive Aphasia Test,Multilingual Aphasia Examination,Language Test
D008297 Male Males
D008591 Meningomyelocele Congenital, or rarely acquired, herniation of meningeal and spinal cord tissue through a bony defect in the vertebral column. The majority of these defects occur in the lumbosacral region. Clinical features include PARAPLEGIA, loss of sensation in the lower body, and incontinence. This condition may be associated with the ARNOLD-CHIARI MALFORMATION and HYDROCEPHALUS. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, pp35-6) Myelocele,Myelomeningocele,Acquired Meningomyelocele,Myelomeningocele, Acquired,Acquired Meningomyeloceles,Acquired Myelomeningocele,Acquired Myelomeningoceles,Meningomyelocele, Acquired,Meningomyeloceles,Meningomyeloceles, Acquired,Myeloceles,Myelomeningoceles,Myelomeningoceles, Acquired
D002557 Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts Tubes inserted to create communication between a cerebral ventricle and the internal jugular vein. Their emplacement permits draining of cerebrospinal fluid for relief of hydrocephalus or other condition leading to fluid accumulation in the ventricles. Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunt,Shunt, Cerebrospinal Fluid,Shunts, Cerebrospinal Fluid
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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