Bangalore: Conceiving past the age of 35 has been cited as one of the most important reasons for disability in general and speech impairment in particular among children. Older women are prone to chronic diseases during pregnancy and these can create complications during or after childbirth.

Speech Pathologist and Audiologist Kusuma N. Bhatta told The Hindu that although every woman has chances of giving birth to deformed children, no matter what her age is, age still plays a predominant role. The eggs are just not as good as they were before, there are more ovulation issues and the lining of the uterus is less competent to allow implantation of the fertilized egg.

Increased risk

Older women pose an increased risk to their children getting affected by mental retardation, cerebral palsy and autism. Such children are associated with speech problems. The normal functioning of the organs of hearing, brain and articulator muscular movements (movement of lips, tongue, vocal cord and lungs) are poorly developed in children with development problems. "Even though a case history cannot pinpoint the exact reason for speech impairment among children, the mothers more often than not have been reported delivery post 35 to 40."

Stuttering

Dr. Kusuma said stuttering is a common problem among children. In the case of a child with multiple disabilities, communication problems are visible and malfunctioning of brain leads to a delay in the development of speech.

The underlying medical problems that are more common among the older women may lead to prolonged labour (dearth in supply of oxygen to the brain) and cause severe communication disabilities among children. The communication capability of a 10-year-old will be only as good as a one-year-old.

Speech development

Director of the Manonandana Centre for the Mentally Retarded Children, Dr. Kusuma said the delay in the development of speech is considered when a child is admitted at the Centre and it has been observed that a two-year-old child who will normally have a vocabulary of 200 words can speak only five words.

Fertility rates

With the fertility rate beginning to decline after 30, more at the age of 35, and markedly 40, women tend to lose the potential to conceive.

Studies have revealed that the children born to the aged women have problems in articulating sound speech.

The problem of pragmatics is a serious concern among the speech-impaired children.

Although they learn different words, they are unable to apply them in different situations.

There is an increased chance of a miscarriage in older women and most is because of chromosome issues, which increase significantly after 35.

And then there are medical problems such as diabetes and hypertension, which in and by themselves increase early and late pregnancy complications.

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