No abstract

This paper reports on a controlled study investigating the language outcomes of previously tracheostomied children in their mid-to late-primary school years. The language and cognitive functioning of twenty children who had tracheostomy in infancy was compared with that of age-matched controls. Language abilities were found to be commensurate with intellectual functioning. There were no significant differences in receptive language functioning. However, the study identified difficulties with expressive language and a relationship between the duration of cannulation and higher-level language tasks. The results of these findings will be discussed with reference to the existing literature and future recommendations for research.