{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T23:40:57Z","timestamp":1760139657941,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,23]],"date-time":"2022-04-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1650672000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The survival of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW) has increased worldwide. Even in the absence of major disabilities, ELBW infants show difficulty in simple language functions. It is relevant to assess early abilities, which are the base of early linguistic skills, in order to implement customized intervention programs in ELBW infants. Aims: To evaluate communication precursors of language development in ELBW infants at 12 and 24 months of correct age (C.A). To investigate the correlation of linguistic and communicative prerequisites with mental development outcome at 24 months CA. Method: 52 ELBW neonates (mean gestational age 26.6 weeks, mean birth weight was 775 g) who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the University Hospital of Modena, were enrolled. Data were collected from archived audio-video recordings of neurodevelopmental follow-up visits. Video analysis of communicative and linguistic developmental was performed at 12 and 24 months CA. Neurodevelopmental outcome was evaluated with Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS-R). Results: The video-analysis showed that infants at 12 months CA used predominantly eye contacts and gestural turns, while vocal turns were scant. At 24 months CA, a significant change in eye contacts, vocal turns, gestural turns, and utterances (p &lt; 0.001) occurred. The total number of utterances (p = 0.036) and eye contacts (p = 0.045) were significantly correlated to the Development Quotient (DQ) of Hearing and Language scale. Moreover, a significant correlation was found with the Personal-Social scale vocal turns (p = 0.009) and the total number of utterances (p = 0,02). Finally, the Global Quotient of the GMDS-R was related to the Vocal Turns (p = 0.034) and the total number of Utterances (p = 0.013). Conclusions: ELBW infants at 12 months CA use predominantly eye contacts and gestural turns to communicate with adults. At 24 months CA, the child\u2019s communicative intention evolves from gestural to verbal communication. The latter is characterized by an increase in both vocal turns and the number of utterances produced during interaction. The video analysis we implement appears to be a sensitive tool for early assessment of communication and language development and to refine early intervention<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children9050602","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,23]],"date-time":"2022-04-23T21:39:45Z","timestamp":1650749985000},"page":"602","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Monitoring of Communication Precursors in Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) Newborns by Video Analysis Method: Preliminary Results"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Laura","family":"Sundas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service AUSL, 41121 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5521-4343","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Silvia","family":"Palma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Audiology, Primary Care Dep. AUSL, 41100 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marisa","family":"Pugliese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria Federica","family":"Roversi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Enrico","family":"Apa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Audiology, ENT Dept., University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41124 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3534-7499","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberto","family":"Berardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elisabetta","family":"Genovese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Audiology, ENT Dept., University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41124 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daniele","family":"Monzani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Audiology, ENT Dept., University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41124 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1007\/s10339-020-01001-6","article-title":"Reading and spelling skills of prematurely born children in light of the underlying cognitive factors","volume":"22","author":"Harnos","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cogn. Process."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1653","DOI":"10.3109\/14767058.2013.794205","article-title":"Preterm birth and developmental problems in infancy and preschool age Part II: Cognitive, neuropsychological and behavioural outcomes","volume":"26","author":"Pugliese","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Matern. Fetal Neonatal Med."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1016\/j.earlhumdev.2018.11.001","article-title":"Audiovisual speech perception and language acquisition in preterm infants: A longitudinal study","volume":"128","author":"Imafuku","year":"2019","journal-title":"Early Hum. Dev."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"655","DOI":"10.1017\/S0305000907008070","article-title":"Early delayed language development in very preterm infants: Evidence from the MacArthur-Bates CDI","volume":"34","author":"Edgin","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Child Lang."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3677","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuropsychologia.2011.09.023","article-title":"Longitudinal trajectories of gestural and linguistic abilities in very preterm infants in the second year of life","volume":"49","author":"Sansavini","year":"2011","journal-title":"Neuropsychology"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"745","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2011-1728","article-title":"Language Functions in Preterm Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis","volume":"129","author":"Franken","year":"2012","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e12420","DOI":"10.1111\/desc.12420","article-title":"Exposure to multiple languages enhances communication skills in infancy","volume":"20","author":"Liberman","year":"2017","journal-title":"Dev. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1749-6632.2012.06445.x","article-title":"Auditory brain development in premature infants: The importance of early experience","volume":"1252","author":"Mcmahon","year":"2012","journal-title":"Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14240","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0606302103","article-title":"Functional organization of perisylvian activation during presentation of sentences in preverbal infants","volume":"103","author":"Dubois","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1016\/j.earlhumdev.2006.05.017","article-title":"The function of the frontal lobe in neonates for response to a prosodic voice","volume":"83","author":"Saito","year":"2007","journal-title":"Early Hum. Dev."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1167","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2015.01167","article-title":"Early development of turn-taking in vocal interaction between mothers and infants","volume":"6","author":"Gratier","year":"2015","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1224","DOI":"10.1044\/1092-4388(2006\/088)","article-title":"Prelinguistic Predictors of Language Outcome at 3 Years of Age","volume":"49","author":"Watt","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Speech Lang. Hear Res."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6873270","DOI":"10.1155\/2019\/6873270","article-title":"Language in Preterm Born Children: Atypical Development and Effects of Early Interventions on Neuroplasticity","volume":"2019","author":"Vandormael","year":"2019","journal-title":"Neural Plast."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.1044\/1058-0360(2013\/12-0058)","article-title":"Beginning to Talk Like an Adult: Increases in Speech-Like Utterances in Young Cochlear Implant Recipients and Toddlers with Normal Hearing","volume":"22","author":"Ertmer","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am. J. Speech Lang Pathol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1177\/1525740118760215","article-title":"A Systematic Review of the Literature on Early Vocalizations and Babbling Patterns in Young Children","volume":"40","author":"Morgan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Commun. Disord. Q."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"Tait, M. (1984). The Role of Singing in the Social and Linguistic Development of Nursery-Aged Deaf Children. [Ph.D. Thesis, Nottingham University]."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/S0165-5876(01)00494-3","article-title":"Communication development in young deaf children: Review of the video analysis method","volume":"61","author":"Tait","year":"2001","journal-title":"Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.1179\/146431501790561106","article-title":"Video analysis of preverbal communication behaviors: Use and reliability","volume":"3","author":"Tait","year":"2001","journal-title":"Deaf. Educ. Int."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1983","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.01983","article-title":"Communication Skills and Communicative Autonomy of Prelinguistic Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children: Application of a Video Feedback Intervention","volume":"11","author":"James","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Olswang, L., Stoel-Gammon, C., Coggins, T., and Carpenter, R. (1987). Assessing Prelinguistic and Early Linguistic Behaviors in Developmentally Young Children, University of Washington Press."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Bortolini, U. (2022, February 20). In Proceedings of Diagnosi Precoce e Prevenzione dei Disturbi del Linguaggio e della Comunicazione, Conegliano, Veneto, 9\u201311 November 1992. Available online: https:\/\/opac.bncf.firenze.sbn.it\/bncf-prod\/resource?uri=BVE0091994&found=1."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Griffith, R. (2007). GMDS-R: Griffiths Mental Development Scales, Revised: O-2 Anni: Edizione Italiana a Cura di Francesca Maria Battaglia e Margherita Savoini, Giunti O.S., Organizzazioni Special. Revisione 1996 di Michael Huntley.","DOI":"10.1037\/t03301-000"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8624.2007.01025.x","article-title":"A New Look at Infant Pointing","volume":"78","author":"Tomasello","year":"2007","journal-title":"Child Dev."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"526","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8624.2011.01727.x","article-title":"Early Action and Gesture \u201cVocabulary\u201d and Its Relation with Word Comprehension and Production","volume":"83","author":"Caselli","year":"2012","journal-title":"Child Dev."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"D\u00e9ak, G.O. (2014). Interrelations of language and cognitive development. Encyclopedia of Language Development, UC San Diego Permalink. Available online: https:\/\/escholarship.org\/uc\/item\/2833j0rj."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"855","DOI":"10.1097\/01.AOG.0000284447.43442.55","article-title":"Outcome at 3 Years of Age in a Population-Based Cohort of Extremely Preterm Infants","volume":"110","author":"Vanhaesebrouck","year":"2007","journal-title":"Obstet. Gynecol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Stipdonk, L.W., Franken, M.-C.J.P., and Dudink, J. (2018). Language outcome related to brain structures in school-aged preterm children: A systematic review. PLoS ONE, 13.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0203298"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"444","DOI":"10.1186\/s13063-021-05385-4","article-title":"Listening to Mom in the NICU: Effects of increased maternal speech exposure on language outcomes and white matter development in infants born very preterm","volume":"22","author":"Morales","year":"2021","journal-title":"Trials"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Neri, E., De Pascalis, L., Agostini, F., Genova, F., Biasini, A., Stella, M., and Trombini, E. (2021). Parental Book-Reading to Preterm Born Infants in NICU: The Effects on Language Development in the First Two Years. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182111361"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1162","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapediatrics.2015.2175","article-title":"Prognostic Factors for Poor Cognitive Development in Children Born Very Preterm or With Very Low Birth Weight: A Systematic Review","volume":"169","author":"Linsell","year":"2015","journal-title":"JAMA Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pcl.2018.12.015","article-title":"Neurodevelopmental Follow-up of Preterm Infants: What Is New?","volume":"66","author":"McGowan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pediatr. Clin. N. Am."}],"container-title":["Children"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9067\/9\/5\/602\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T22:59:35Z","timestamp":1760137175000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9067\/9\/5\/602"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,23]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5]]}},"alternative-id":["children9050602"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/children9050602","relation":{},"ISSN":["2227-9067"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2227-9067"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,23]]}}}