Phonological productive processes in full-term schoolchildren and small for gestational age: a case-control study.
Noemi Vieira de Freitas Rios, Luciene da Cruz Fernandes, Caio Leônidas Oliveira de Andrade and 2 others
PMID 34932658WHAT IT FOUND
School-age children born small for gestational age showed more unexpected speech sound errors affecting syllable structure than those born appropriate for gestational age.
However, the study found no overall statistical association between being small for gestational age and having a speech sound disorder.
Key findings
01Children born small for gestational age (SGA) had a statistically significant association with syllabic structure processes compared to those appropriate for gestational age (AGA).
02Despite specific process differences, the study found no statistical association between the presence of phonological alterations overall and being born small for gestational age.
03The SGA group exhibited a higher number of productive phonological processes that were unexpected for their age compared to the AGA group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (36 children), which limited the power to detect differences. The groups were not matched for age; the SGA group was younger than the AGA group, which could explain some of the developmental differences in speech. The study could not distinguish between children who were small for gestational age due to intrauterine growth restriction (a pathological cause) versus those who were constitutionally small (a genetic/physiological cause). There was no significant association found between SGA status and the overall presence of phonological alterations, making the clinical implication for general screening less clear.
Declared interests
The study was financed by the Research Support Foundation of the State of Bahia (FAPESB). No other conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that being small for gestational age automatically causes a speech sound disorder. The study found no significant statistical association between SGA status and the presence of phonological alterations overall, despite some specific differences in error patterns.