The researchers concluded that lymphatic malformation management has undergone a significant shift over the past 15 years. While surgical excision of the malformation was the predominant treatment in 1997, a gradual shift has occurred toward sclerotherapy, which has a lower complication rate.
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July 2017Linguistic and Behavioral Outcomes in Bilingual Children with Hearing Loss
© ANURAK PONGPATIMET / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
In a prospective, cross-sectional study of children aged 6 to 17 years with permanent, non-profound hearing loss (HL), investigators recruited participants from a pediatric otolaryngology and audiology practice. Typically hearing (TH) siblings and patients from general pediatrics clinic were controls. All children were raised in households where the primary language was not English. English language proficiency was assessed by a licensed speech language pathologist using the Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS-II); behavioral problems were assessed with the validated Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL); and native language proficiency was assessed with the SOLOM (Student Oral Language Observation Matrix).
The researchers found that age, sex, socioeconomic status, and years of English exposure were comparable between the HL (n=32) and TH (n=15) groups. Oral expression and listening comprehension were both worse in the HL cohort; children with unilateral HL performed significantly better than those with bilateral HL. HL children scored worse in native language proficiency than their TH counterparts. HL children had a higher incidence of clinically significant problem scores in social and school domains, with 25% of HL children having clinically significant behavioral problems.
The researchers concluded that children raised in a non-English speaking household are at particular risk for language delay in both English and their native language, as well as behavioral challenges, compared to their typically hearing peers. These disparities in speech, language, and behavioral outcomes in this at-risk group demonstrate the need for additional investigation and support.