Browsing by Subject "syntymäriskit"

Objectives: The present study examines dyslexia related to perinatal risks and its persistence into adulthood. It is known that perinatal risks affect later cognitive outcomes but influences related to language development and reading are poorly understood. Dyslexia is a specific reading disorder and its prevalence rate is about 5-10 %. Dyslexia is predicted by early deficits in language development and reading difficulties are known to persist from childhood to adulthood. The present study focuses on prevalence, predictors and persistence of dyslexia in the perinatal risk group. The hypotheses were 1) that the prevalence of dyslexia among the perinatal risk group is higher than usual 2) that early problems in language skills are associated with reading and writing skills in school age and 3) that reading difficulties show continuity from school age into adulthood. Methods: The present study is part of a longitudinal research project examining long-term effects of perinatal risks. Examinees were Finnish speaking adults with one or more perinatal risks (n=168). Reading and phonological processing skills in adulthood were assessed in neuropsychological examination and the examinees were classified to fluent or non-fluent readers by reading tasks. In the longitudinal analysis the childhood data of language skills (at the age of 5) and reading and writing skills (at the age of 9) were examined by linear and logistic regression. Results and conclusions: In the perinatal risk group there was a 15,5% rate of non-fluent readers. Language skills at the age of 5 did not predict reading and writing skills at the age of 9, but reading and writing skills at school age affected reading and phonological processing in adulthood. It appears that perinatal risks are associated with a higher risk of dyslexia which continues from childhood into adulthood. The usual predictors of dyslexia were not found in the present study. Dyslexia related to perinatal risks may differ from usual dyslexia by ethiology and development.