Are Patients With Syndromic Craniosynostosis at Greater Risk for Abnormal Speech and Language Development Than Patients With Non-syndromic Craniosynostosis?

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether patients with syndromic craniosynostosis (SCS) are at increased risk for abnormal speech and language development (ASLD) relative to patients with non-syndromic craniosynostosis (NSCS). Study Design: A retrospective cohort study was completed using the Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID). All patients with craniosynostosis (CS) were included were included. The primary predictor variable was study grouping (SCS vs NSCS). The primary outcome variable was ASLD. Multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify risk factors for ASLD. Results: The final study sample included a total of 10 089 patients with craniosynostosis (CS) (37.7% female, 51.6% White, mean age 1.78 years). Patients with SCS were at increased risk for ASLD relative to patients with NSCS (OR 2.1, P < .001). After controlling for all other variables, patients with SCS were no longer at increased risk for ASLD relative to patients with NSCS (OR 1.2, P = .442). Conclusions: Relative to NSCS, SCS per se is not a risk factor for ASLD. The significantly greater prevalence of asthma, intracranial hypertension, and compression of brain, all of which are risk factors for ASLD, among patients with SCS explains the greater prevalence of ASLD in SCS relative to NSCS.