Evaluation of Speech and Language Features of Children Born after Assisted Reproductive Techniques

To evaluate some speech and language features of children born after assisted reproductive techniques (ART). In this descriptive and analytical study, fifty children between 0– 49 months were selected simply and conveniently by consecutive method and evaluated via interview with their parents and clinical observation, by a speech and language pathologist. A questionnaire was completed after parent interview. The ELM–2 (Early Language Milestone Scale–2), MLU (Mean Length Utterance) test and POSP (Paediatric Oral Skill Pakage) were employed. Data were analyzed by Independent T Test, Mann–Whitney Test, Chi Square and Kolmogorov Smirnov Test. 33 children (66%) were born through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and the reminder through invitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI). Mean Length Utterance (MLU) was 3.3 words. 8% of these children had some structural anomalies in speech organs and 6% of them showed speech organs dysfunction. There was no gender priority in MLU (P=0.069), cooing (P=0.125), number of words (P=0.079) and structure and function of speech organs (P=0.327). There was significant difference between boys and girls in lalling (P=0.026). Speech and language of children born after assisted reproductive techniques (ART) are normal but more comprehensive studies are needed.