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Objective: Measuring disability as a concept of impaired global function enables beneficiaries of treatment, the impact of treatment, and targets of health system investment to be rigorously assessed. Measures of disability are not well established for cleft lip and palate. This study aims to systematically review disability weight (DW) studies pertaining to orofacial clefts (OFCs) and identify methodological strengths and shortcomings of each approach. Design: Systematic literature review of studies that met the following criteria: (1) peer-reviewed publication, (2) focus on disability valuation, (3) mention orofacial clefts, and (4) publication January 2001-December 2021. Setting: None. Patients/Participants: None. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Disability weight method of valuation and the value itself. Results: The final search strategy yielded 1,067 studies. Seven manuscripts were ultimately included for data extraction. The disability weights used in our studies, including those newly generated or taken from the Global Burden of Disease Studies (GBD), ranged widely for isolated cleft lip (0.0–0.100) and cleft palate with or without cleft lip (0.0−0.269). The GBD studies limited their consideration of cleft sequelae informing disability weights to impact on appearance and speech-related concerns, while other studies accounted for comorbidities such as pain and social stigma. Conclusions: Current measures of cleft disability are sparse, inadequately reflect the comprehensive impact of an OFC on function and socialization, and are limited in detail or supporting evidence. Use of a comprehensive health state description in evaluating disability weights offers a realistic means of accurately representing the diverse sequelae of an OFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide range of methods has been suggested for assessing the speech and language development in children. Therefore, the choice of suitable assessment tool is not always trivial. This article provides the overview of the methods used to examine Russian-speaking children, emphasises the parameters crucial for their comparison and, finally, choice itself. This review can be useful for researchers in the field of children’s speech and language development, specialists using various tools for assessing children’s speech in practice (pediatricians, speech pathologists, defectologists), as well as teachers and parents.

Hearing impairment in children is a significant issue worldwide, including Poland, as it hinders their proper development. Early hearing prosthetics ensure language and social development comparable to their healthy peers. Proper diagnosis is essential to achieve this goal. In Poland, the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program allows for the rapid detection of children with hearing impairment and early therapeutic intervention. Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is the primary indication for cochlear implantation. Patient assessment, surgery, and rehabilitation are carried out in highly specialized centers. Hearing impairment is also a concern for an older age group of children, where the causes are primarily inflammatory. In this case, parents, pediatricians, family doctors, speech therapists, and teachers play a significant role in suspecting hearing impairment in children. It is crucial to effectively and promptly include all children with hearing impairment in the program, especially those with risk factors, where delayed onset hearing loss may occur.

White noise machines are widely used as a sleep aid for young children and may lead to poor hearing, speech, and learning outcomes if used incorrectly. Characterize the potential impact of chronic white noise exposure on early childhood development. Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception through June 2022 for publications addressing the effects of chronic noise exposure during sleep on early development in animals and children. PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed. Among 644 retrieved publications, 20 met inclusion criteria after review by multiple authors. Seven studies evaluated animal models and 13 studies examined pediatric subjects, including 83 animal and 9428 human subjects. White noise machines can exceed 91 dB on maximum volume, which exceeds the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health noise exposure guidelines for a 2-h work shift in adults. Evidence suggests deleterious effects of continuous moderate-intensity white noise exposure on early development in animal models. Human subject data generally corroborates these models; however, studies also suggest low-intensity noise exposure may be beneficial during sleep. Existing data support the limitation of maximal sound intensity and duration on commercially available white noise devices. Further research into the optimal intensity and duration of white noise exposure in children is needed. • White noise generators are often used as sleep aids for young children. • The maximal volume of these generators is unregulated, reaching dangerous levels. • Data shows extended noise exposure damages auditory and cognitive development. • Caregivers should avoid exposing their children to loud or extended white noise. • Governmental regulation of white noise generator volume is advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: : The current study examined stop consonant production in children with cleft lip and/or palate (CP ± L) 2-6 months following palatal surgery. Design: : Prospective comparative study. Setting: : Multisite institutional. Participants: : Participants included 113 children with repaired CP ± L (mean age = 16 months) who were participating in the multicenter CORNET study. Procedures: Parents of participants were asked to record approximately two hours of their child's vocalizations/words at home using a Language ENvironmental Analysis (LENATM) recorder. Four ten-minute audio-recorded samples of vocalizations were extracted from the original recording for each participant and analyzed for presence of oral stop consonants. A minimum of 100 vocalizations were required for analysis. Results: : Preliminary findings indicate that at least one oral stop was evident in the consonant inventory for 95 of the 113 children (84%) at the time of their post-surgery 16-month recording, and 80 of these children (71%) were producing two or more different stops. Approximately 50% of the children (57/113) produced the three voiced stops, and eight of the children (7%) were producing all six stop consonants. Conclusions: : The findings of this study suggest that the majority of children with repaired CP ± L from English-speaking homes are producing oral stops within six months following palatal surgery. Similar to same-age children without CL ± P, voiced stops were more frequently evident in the children's inventories than voiceless stops. In contrast to findings of previous reports suggesting place of articulation differences, a somewhat comparable percentage of children in this study produced voiced bilabial, alveolar, and velar stops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigates whether the use of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) affects the long-term speech outcomes in patients undergoing primary palatoplasty with radical intravelar veloplasty. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Tertiary university-affiliated hospital. Participants: A consecutive cohort of 112 patients who underwent primary palatoplasty with radical intravelar veloplasty from August 2014 to March 2018 were included. Main outcome measures: A 2 × 2 cm-sized ADM was incorporated as an interpositional graft between the oral and nasal lining at the soft-hard palate junction. The perceptual analysis of hypernasality and articulation was performed when the age of the patient reached at least 36 months. Cleft-related characteristics and surgical factors affecting the speech outcomes were investigated. Results: The ADM was applied in 57 patients with a mean follow-up of45.76 months (SD, 10.69), while no ADM was used in 55 patients with a mean follow-up of 48.43 months (SD, 14.98). Regarding the hypernasality outcome, 33.3% (19 of 57 patients) of the ADM group and 27.3% (15 of 55 patients) of the control group showed a greater than mild-to-moderate degree. The distribution of hypernasality and articulation grade showed no significant difference between the two groups. After controlling for potential risk factors that may affect the speech outcomes, the use of ADM showed no significant relationship with velopharyngeal insufficiency. Conclusion: The use of ADM use in primary palatoplasty with radical intravelar veloplasty is not associated with the alteration of speech function in early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of short-term ventilation tubes compared to surveillance on conductive hearing loss in children with non-syndromic orofacial clefting involving the muscular palate. Introduction: Chronic otitis media with effusion is a common finding in children with cleft palate. The accepted convention is insertion of short-term ventilation tubes at the time of palate repair, but some centres are choosing conservative management. Each approach has its advantages but there is currently no consensus on the most appropriate management in children with non-syndromic cleft palate. Inclusion criteria: Children <18 years with cleft lip and palate, or isolated cleft palate, not associated with a genetic syndrome, who have been diagnosed with chronic otitis media with effusion. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and Scopus databases was conducted. Grey literature searches were conducted through Central Register of Controlled Trials, Clinicaltrials.gov and ProQuest. Two reviewers screened the studies, conducted critical appraisal, assessed the methodological quality, and extracted the data. Where possible, studies were pooled in statistical meta-analysis with heterogeneity being assessed using the standard Chi-squared and I2 tests. Results: Four studies met the inclusion criteria but were of low quality with a moderate risk of bias. Only data on hearing thresholds could be pooled for analysis which found no statistically significant difference. Other outcomes were presented in narrative form. Certainty of evidence for all outcomes was deemed low to very low using GRADE criteria. Conclusions: No definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding most effective management at improving conductive hearing loss. Missing data and inconsistent reporting of outcomes limited capacity for pooled analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of a child's environment on their speech development and selected forms of speech disorders resulting from improper impact of the child's closest environment have been discussed in the article. It also provides hints for parents and guardians of young children referring to ways of speech development support. It is assumed that proper environmental influence is one of the necessary factors in developing language abilities. In terpersonal contact is the essence of speech. Such contact requires an active sender and receiver and a uniform code that both parties understand. If one party avoids an activity and uses an 'incorrect' code, the other party loses motivation to speak or adopts an incorrect speech pattern. The influence of the child's closest environment is thus of a significant impact on proper speech development and the counteracting of speech disorders of environmental aetiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to use data from Smile Train's global partner hospital network to identify patient characteristics that increase odds of fistula and postoperative speech outcomes. Design: Multi-institution, retrospective review of Smile Train Express database. Setting: 1110 Smile Train partner hospitals. Patients/Participants: 2560 patients. Interventions: N/A. Main Outcome Measure(s): Fistula occurrence, nasal emission, audible nasal emission with amplification (through a straw or tube) only, nasal rustle/turbulence, consistent nasal emission, consistent nasal emission due to velopharyngeal dysfunction, rating of resonance, rating of intelligibility, recommendation for further velopharyngeal dysfunction assessment, and follow-up velopharyngeal dysfunction surgery Results: The patients were 46.6% female and 27.5% underweight by WHO standards. Average age at palatoplasty was 24.7 ± 0.5 months and at speech assessment was 6.8 ± 0.1 years. Underweight patients had higher incidence of hypernasality and decreased speech intelligibility. Palatoplasty when under 6 months or over 18 months of age had higher rates of affected nasality, intelligibility, and fistula formation. The same findings were seen in Central/South American and African patients, in addition to increased velopharyngeal dysfunction and fistula surgery compared to Asian patients. Palatoplasty technique primarily involved one-stage midline repair. Conclusions: Age and nutrition status were significant predictors of speech outcomes and fistula occurrence following palatoplasty. Outcomes were also significantly impacted by location, demonstrating the need to cultivate longitudinal initiatives to reduce regional disparities. These results underscore the importance of Smile Train's continual expansion of accessible surgical intervention, nutritional support, and speech-language care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing impairment in children is a significant issue worldwide, including Poland, as it hinders their proper development. Early hearing prosthetics ensure language and social development comparable to their healthy peers. Proper diagnosis is essential to achieve this goal. In Poland, the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program allows for the rapid detection of children with hearing impairment and early therapeutic intervention. Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is the primary indication for cochlear implantation. Patient assessment, surgery, and rehabilitation are carried out in highly specialized centers. Hearing impairment is also a concern for an older age group of children, where the causes are primarily inflammatory. In this case, parents, pediatricians, family doctors, speech therapists, and teachers play a significant role in suspecting hearing impairment in children. It is crucial to effectively and promptly include all children with hearing impairment in the program, especially those with risk factors, where delayed onset hearing loss may occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of Ablai Khan KazUIRandWL: Series 'Philological sciences' is the property of Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations & World Languages and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Educational Sciences (2520-2634) is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Lambdoid craniosynostosis affects approximately 1 in 33 000 live births per year, and surgical correction is often sought in order to achieve normocephaly and allow for adequate brain growth. However, the effects of lambdoid synostosis and its treatment on cognitive development are unknown. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Patients, Participants: A systematic review of Ovid Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Clinicaltrials.gov was conducted in January 2022. Included studies assessed cognitive development of patients with nonsyndromic unilateral lambdoid craniosynostosis. Main Outcome Measures: Results of developmental tests were compared to normative data or controls to generate Hedges' g for meta-analysis. Results: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of 3 studies describing general cognition showed that cases scored significantly lower than their peers, but within 1 standard deviation (g = 0.37, 95% CI [−0.64, −0.10], P =.01). Meta-analysis of verbal and psychomotor development showed no significant differences in children with lambdoid synostosis. Studies were of fair quality and had moderate-to-high heterogeneity. Conclusions: Patients with lambdoid craniosynostosis may score slightly below average on tests of general cognition in comparison to normal controls, but results in other domains are variable. Analyses were limited by small sample sizes. Multidisciplinary care and involvement of a child psychologist may be helpful in identifying areas of concern and providing adequate scholastic support. Further research recruiting larger cohorts will be necessary to confirm these findings and extend them to other developmental domains such as attention and executive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodResultConclusionThe purpose of this study was to investigate the cross-linguistic influences of Jamaican Creole (JC) and English on phonemic and vocal development in bilingual JC-English-speaking preschoolers.Sixteen typically developing children (12 females, M = 4 years; 4 months) completed the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation in Phonology Word Inconsistency Assessment subtest in JC and in English. Acoustic measures of voice onset time (VOT), VOT variability (VOT SD), mean fundamental frequency (fo), and fo variability (fo SD) were extracted from each target word. Prevoicing was noted. Mixed models and regression models were analysed to understand the patterns of acoustic measures in each language, and the relationship between phonemic and vocal variability, respectively.Analyses showed a significant effect of language on fo SD, wherein SD was greater in English than JC. JC spoken (percentage) was a significant positive predictor of VOT SD for voiced (short lag) productions. There was no relationship between phonemic and vocal variability measures.Greater fo SD in English may be due to linguistic fo differences and speaking environment. Variability for voiced VOT is likely due to the continued maturation of vocal and articulatory control when children are developing adult-like productions, though longitudinal studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective : To review at 18 years-old the results of surgery and follow-up of children born in our hospital with unilateral cleft lip and palate (uCLP). They were operated at the time by the same surgeon, following the same primary surgical procedure (Malek). Design : Retrospective cohort study. Setting : Tertiary Children's Hospital. Patients : All children born with uCLP between 1996 and 2001 and operated in our hospital. Syndromic children were excluded. Main outcome measures: Results of the primary surgery, ear–nose–throat interventions, maxillo-facial surgery and final phonatory results. Results : Seventy-nine files of children born with a cleft were reviewed: 34 were taken into consideration for uCLP: 15 right and 19 left. They were operated in two stages, following the inverse Malek procedure. Sixty per cent had a fistula. Eighty-eight percent had grommets. Ninety-seven percent had an alveolar graft at a median age of nine (5-10) and 22% underwent a Le Fort osteotomy. Seven percent were operated for a pharyngeal flap, 29% for a secondary lip surgery at a mean age of 12.8 and 29% for a late rhinoplasty at a mean age of 14.8 years. A median of 5.7 multidisciplinary consultations was realized with a median number of general anesthesia of 7.1 (4-13). Conclusions : This retrospective study shows that the Malek procedure for children born with uCLP is related to a high risk of fistula but good long-term phonatory results. Twenty percent of children were operated for a Le Fort procedure and one-third for a secondary lip procedure and rhinoplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a quantitative research whose goal was to identify the communication skills of three-year-olds using the Gunzberg II test. The purposive sample consists of 312 children aged three years. The main assumption of the research was that the communication skills of three-year-olds are influenced by their gender, birth order, parents' level of education, length of stay in kindergarten and age within the same age group. None of the mentioned variables had a consistent impact on the communication skills of the examined children. Some variables did not affect the emergence of differences at all (e.g. the mother's level of education), and some influenced the realization of at most two tasks (gender, birth order and age within the same age group). This was insufficient to accept the auxiliary, and thus the main hypothesis. In general, three-year-olds did not demonstrate sufficient communication skills in accordance with expectations based on developmental characteristics, which points to the need to intensify, enrich and encourage work on the development of communication.

Effective identification, support, and development of children’s abilities is a priority task of the education system in Russia. This demands deeper research based on the use of modern diagnostic technologies and neuropsychological tools, especially in what concerns children with impaired development, such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Neuropsychological rehabilitation of children with ASD remains a poorly understood yet critical problem. Here, we explore common neuropsychological tools employed in Russia for diagnostics and therapy of ASD in childhood. The prospects of these methods to study the speech characteristics of such children were substantiated. The study is based on a survey of 20 parents of 20 children aged 4–6 years who attend the “WE ARE TOGETHER” Special Kindergarten for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders at Kazan Federal University (Russia). The speech characteristics of the children, starting from an early age, were thoroughly investigated during the experiment with the help of neuropsychological tools. The latter included game tasks to test social, cognitive, motor, neurodynamic, and regulatory skills, as well as the analysis of the transcripts of the interviews with both children and their parents. The results obtained facilitate the introduction of the neuropsychological approach to diagnose speech disorders in preschool children with ASD, and it can be further improved by experts in the rehabilitation and education of children exhibiting ASD symptoms.

Background: This study characterizes the potential loss of velar length in patients with a wide cleft and rescue of this loss of domain by local flap reconstruction, providing anatomic evidence in support of primary lengthening of the soft palate during palatoplasty. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients with a cleft palate at least 10mm in width, who underwent primary palatoplasty with a buccal flap prior to 18 months of age over a 2-year period. All patients underwent primary palatoplasty with horizontal transection of the nasal mucosa, which was performed after nasal mucosa repair, but prior to muscular reconstruction. The resulting palatal lengthening was measured and the mucosal defect was reconstructed with a buccal flap. Results: Of the 22 patients included, 3 (13.6%) had a history of Pierre Robin sequence, and 5 (22.7%) had an associated syndrome. No patients had a Veau I cleft, 7 (31.8%) had a Veau II, 12 (54.5%) had a Veau III, and 3 had (13.6%) a Veau IV cleft. All patients had a right buccal flap during primary palatoplasty. The mean cleft width at the posterior nasal spine was 10.6 ± 2.82mm, and mean lengthening of the velum after horizontal transection of the nasal mucosa closure was 10.5 ± 2.23mm. There were 2 (9.1%) fistulas, 1 (4.5%) wound dehiscence, 1 (4.5%) 30-day readmission, and no bleeding complications. Conclusions: Patients with a wide cleft palate have a potential loss of 1cm velar length. The buccal flap can rescue the loss of domain in palatal length, and potentially improve palatal excursion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech language pathologists regularly use perceptual methods in clinical practice to assess children's speech. In this study, we examined relationships between measures of speech intelligibility, clinical articulation test results, age, and perceptual ratings of articulatory goodness for children. We also examined the extent to which established measures of intelligibility and clinical articulation test results predicted articulatory goodness ratings, and whether goodness ratings were influenced by intelligibility. A sample of 164 (30–47 months) typically developing children provided speech samples and completed a standardised articulation test. Single word intelligibility scores and ratings of articulatory goodness were gathered from 328 naïve listeners; scores on a standardised articulation test were obtained from each child. Bivariate Pearson correlation, linear regression, and linear mixed effects modelling were used for analysis. Results showed that articulatory goodness ratings had the highest correlation with intelligibility, followed by age, followed by articulation score. Age and clinical articulation scores were both significant predictors of goodness ratings, but articulation scores made only a small contribution to prediction. Articulatory goodness ratings were substantially lower for unintelligible words compared to intelligible words, but articulatory goodness scores increased with age at the same rate for unintelligible and intelligible words. Perceptual ratings of articulatory goodness are sensitive to developmental changes in speech production (regardless of intelligibility) and yield a different kind of information than clinical articulation scores from standardised measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant popularity of video games and their ability to make players enjoy the participation of players to play video games rapidly led to the video game industry transitioning from the entertainment side to being involved in most other aspects of life. This study researches how video games affect children's communication. The method of this paper is qualitative, which analyses content from previous studies that conduct surveys and interviews towards children and their parents regarding the children's communication skills, behaviour pro-social skills and speech development. This study aims to explore if video games positively or negatively affect children aged 7 to 12 years in terms of their online and offline social skills, problem behaviour, pro-social behaviour and speech development. The finding of this study is that video games affect children's communication more negatively toward their social skills, problem behaviour, and pro-social behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children born with a cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP ± L) are known to be at risk for speech–language disorders that impact educational and social–emotional growth. It is hypothesized that speech–language intervention delivered before the age of 3 years could decrease the impact of CP ± L on speech–language development. Infant sign training in combination with verbal input expands the natural communication of young children including multimodal speech–language input (i.e., verbal and manual input) via caregivers who act as co‐therapists. Aims: To determine the effectiveness of infant sign training in 1‐year‐old children with CP ± L by comparing different interventions. Methods & Procedures: This is a two‐centre, randomized, parallel‐group, longitudinal, controlled trial. Children are randomized to either an infant sign training group (IST group), a verbal training group (VT group) or no intervention control group (C group). Caregivers of children who are assigned to the IST group or VT group will participate in three caregiver training meetings to practise knowledge and skills to stimulate speech–language development. Outcome measures include a combination of questionnaires, language tests and observational analyses of communicative acts. Outcomes & Results: It is hypothesized that speech–language development of children with CP ± L will benefit more from IST compared with VT and no intervention. Additionally, the number and quality of communicative acts of both children and caregivers are expected to be higher after IST. Conclusions & Implications: This project will contribute to the development of evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines regarding early speech–language intervention in children with CP ± L under the age of 3 years. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Children with CP ± L are known to be at risk for speech–language delays that impact educational and social emotional growth. Given the limited scientific prove of the impact of early speech–language intervention, no standardized clinical practice guidelines are available yet for children with CP ± L under the age of 3 years. Early intervention in this population mostly focuses on improving verbal input via caregivers or professionals without including a multimodal language input. A growing scientific interest has been seen in the use of infant signs to support speech–language development and caregiver–child interaction in typically developing children and children with developmental delays. What this study adds to existing knowledge: No evidence is yet available for the effectiveness and feasibility of early intervention based on infant sign training in combination with verbal input to improve speech–language skills in young children with CP ± L. The current project will investigate the effect of infant sign training on the speech–language development in this population. Outcome measures are compared with those of two control groups: verbal training only and no intervention. It is hypothesized that infant signs may support the intelligibility of verbal utterances produced by children with CP ± L. Improving children's intelligibility may increase the opportunities for these children to engage in early, frequent and high‐quality interactions with their caregivers resulting in a richer social and linguistic environment. As a result, infant sign training may result in better speech–language skills compared with the control interventions. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: If providing early intervention based on infant sign training is effective, there is the potential for improved speech–language outcomes in early childhood, resulting in increased speech intelligibility, increased well‐being of the child and family and less need for speech–language therapy on the long‐term. This project will contribute to the development of evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines regarding early speech–language intervention in children with CP ± L under the age of 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review describes a computational approach for modeling the development of speech motor control in infants. We address the development of two levels of control: articulation of individual speech sounds (defined here as phonemes, syllables, or words for which there is an optimized motor program) and production of sound sequences such as phrases or sentences. We describe the DIVA model of speech motor control and its application to the problem of learning individual sounds in the infant's native language. Then we describe the GODIVA model, an extension of DIVA, and how chunking of frequently produced phoneme sequences is implemented within it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is motivated by the existence of speech barriers in deaf children aged 6 years, indicated by the lack of clarity in pronouncing vocal letters. This condition is allegedly the result of inappropriate intervention services from the family. The purpose of this study is to describe a family-sourced early intervention program for deaf children who experience speech delays, especially in the ability to pronounce vowels. The research method used is descriptive qualitative, with the research subject is 1 family and their children who experience hearing barriers (deaf). The results of this study are the formulation of a hypothetical program consisting of rationale, objectives, materials, strategies, and evaluations that have been validated so that it is feasible to guide families in intervening language and communication development services for their children appropriately.

The paper examines the role of the picture book as a learning resource in preschool mathematics education and illustrates the possibilities for its application. The paper aims to examine whether preschool teachers use picture books in preschool mathematics education, what areas of mathematics they most use these for, and whether they recognize methodological advantages to their application. Results show that half of preschool teachers use the picture book as a teaching resource in preschool mathematics education, that it is mostly used to develop the concept of natural numbers and spatial relations, as well as that teachers clearly perceive methodological advantages.

Speech is an extensively overlearned oromotor behaviour that becomes more automatised over the years due to the storage of their motor routines. To determine when this storage occurs in development, the EEG/ERP spatiotemporal dynamics underlying speech-motor planning were investigated in three groups: children, adolescents and adults. The production of speech was contrasted to sounded non-speech gestures that use the same effectors as speech but are not as frequently trained. Non-speech motor codes are assumed to be individually planned on the go, instead of being stored as motor routines. Neural results revealed a gradual differentiation between speech and non-speech motor planning with age: while ERPs did not differ in children, adolescents and adults showed gradually increasing differences in amplitudes and in topographies between speech and non-speech. This suggest that the speech motor code storage is not completely established yet in 7–9-year-old children but later during development, in early adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study drew a brief description of speech intervention frameworks for preschool children with speech delay (SD) across Indonesia. An online survey was distributed via emails and Whatsapp groups to preschool teachers with experience working with 3-year-old to 6-year-old children with SD. The questionnaire was developed by considering cumulative background factors, behavioral performances, and standardised assessment instruments of SD. 482 (96.4%) out of 500 online responses via Google Form passed the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that the preschool teachers build speech intervention frameworks based on two necessities: community learning with small-group activities (71.16%) and private sessions and individual exercises (28.84%). These necessities follow the lack of parental support or constant nurturing due to economic and educational measures. Community learning features schooling experience and small-group works. Private sessions feature practice drills, individual repetitive exercises, and psychological impressions. There were three sessions within a week, and each activity took 30 to 45 minutes. The therapy lasted for 30 or 32 weeks. Needless to say, this study lacks contextual variability, and future studies should consider the duration, frequency, and intensity of the therapy from varied respondents in different areas and professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Prace Jezykoznawcze is the property of University of Warmia & Mazury in Olsztyn and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin of Ablai Khan KazUIRandWL: Series 'Pedagogical Sciences' is the property of Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations & World Languages and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective : This study aims to characterize current use, knowledge, and attitude toward ERAS protocols by academic craniofacial surgeons. Design : Craniofacial surgeons were provided with electronic surveys. Setting : Electronic survey; Institutional tertiary surgeons. Participants : 102 cleft palate surgeons surveyed and 31 completed the survey (30.4%). Interventions : None. Main Outcome Measures : Respondents rated their knowledge, use, and willingness to implement perioperative interventions modeled after adult ERAS protocols. Results : Majority (67.7%) rated they were knowledgeable about ERAS. However, 61.3% "never use" a standardized protocol for cleft palate surgery. Only 3 ERAS elements are currently implemented by a majority of cleft surgeons: avoiding prolonged perioperative fasting (67.7%), using hypothermia prevention measures (74.2%), and minimizing use of opioids (62.5%). A large majority of respondents noted they never administer bolus (71.0%) or infusion (80.6%) dosing of tranexamic acid; most of these surgeons also indicated that administering tranexamic acid "would not be a valuable addition" (67.7% and 71.0%, respectively). Short-acting sedatives are used by 12.9% and by 16.1% of surgeons in all patients during extubation and postoperative recovery, respectively. By contrast, 22.6% never use such agents during extubation and 48.4% never use it during postoperative recovery. Overall, 67.7% of respondents replied that they would be willing to implement an ERAS protocol for cleft palate repair. Conclusions : Many respondents report using interventions compatible with an ERAS approach and the majority are willing to implement an ERAS protocol for cleft palate repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis dampak penggunaan gadget terhadap perkembangan bicara anak usia 3 tahun di PAUD Hosana Usiloa. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah kualitatif dengan pendekatan deskriptif. Sumber data terbagi menjadi data primer dan data sekunder. Data primer didapatkan melalui observasi terhadap anak yang menjadi subjek penelitian, sedangkan data sekunder berupa dokumen dalam bentuk jurnal dan sumber bacaan lainnya.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar anak usia 3 tahun di PAUD Hosana Usiloa menggunakan gadget lebih dari 8 jam sehari. Penggunaan gadget yang berlebihan dapat mempengaruhi perkembangan bicara anak dan dapat menimbulkan dampak negatif seperti ketergantungan pada gadget dan kurangnya interaksi sosial. Untuk meminimalkan dampak negatif tersebut, perlu dilakukan strategi pengelolaan gadget yang baik. Strategi tersebut meliputi pengaturan waktu penggunaan gadget, memilih aplikasi dan konten yang sesuai dengan usia dan perkembangan anak, serta mengajak anak untuk berinteraksi sosial dan melakukan aktivitas lain yang positif. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, disarankan kepada orang tua dan pengajar untuk lebih memperhatikan penggunaan gadget pada anak usia dini dan melakukan pengelolaan yang baik untuk meminimalkan dampak negatif pada perkembangan bicara anak. Selain itu, perlu dilakukan penelitian lebih lanjut untuk menggali dampak penggunaan gadget pada aspek perkembangan lainnya pada anak usia dini.

Sensorineural hearing loss associated with Kawasaki disease has been increasingly reported, but its etiology remains unclear. Most reported cases of sensorineural hearing loss associated with Kawasaki disease have been mild and reversible during acute or subacute phases. However, bilateral severe hearing loss as a complication of Kawasaki disease can cause delays in cognitive and speech development. A 4-year-old Japanese boy treated for Kawasaki disease had right-side moderate and left-side profound sensorineural hearing loss on the 141st day after onset of Kawasaki disease. Despite systemic steroid pulse treatment, hearing loss remained in both sides. After the recurrence of Kawasaki disease, hearing on the right side progressively worsened, meaning there was now severe hearing loss on both sides. Left cochlear implantation performed on the 1065th day after the onset of Kawasaki disease improved the patient's hearing and his ability to communicate. Sensorineural hearing loss associated with Kawasaki disease may progress over a long period and cause bilateral severe hearing loss, although past reports showed occurrence during acute or subacute phases. The clinical course of our patient suggests that intense inflammation caused by Kawasaki disease could be related to prolonged hearing loss. Cochlear implantation seems to be effective for sensorineural hearing loss associated with Kawasaki disease.

The article deals with the problem of developing coherent speech in preschoolers with mild intellectual disabilities. An analysis of modern scientific domestic and foreign research on the study of psychological and pedagogical aspects of sensory integration as a basis for the development of coherent speech was carried out. The means of sensory integration as an effective tool for the development of speech are considered. Recommendations are provided regarding the development of coherent speech by means of sensory integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Young children with Down syndrome (DS) present with speech and language impairments very early in childhood. Historically, early language intervention for children with DS included manual signs, though recently there has been an interest in the use of speech-generating devices (SGDs). This paper examines the language and communication performance of young children with DS who participated in parent-implemented communication interventions that included SGDs. Specifically, we compared the functional vocabulary usage and communication interaction skills of children with DS who received augmented communication interventions (AC) that included an SGD with those children with DS who received spoken communication intervention (SC). Methods: Twenty-nine children with DS participated in this secondary data analysis. These children were part of one of two longitudinal RCT studies investigating the effectiveness of parent-implemented augmented communication interventions in a larger sample of 109 children with severe communication and language impairments. Results: There were significant differences between children with DS in the AC and SC groups in terms of the number and proportion of functional vocabulary targets used and the total vocabulary targets provided during the intervention at sessions 18 (lab)and 24 (home). Discussion: Overall, the AC interventions provided the children with a way to communicate via an SGD with visual-graphic symbols and speech output, while the children in the SC intervention were focused on producing spoken words. The AC interventions did not hinder the children’s spoken vocabulary development. Augmented communication intervention can facilitate the communication abilities of young children with DS as they are emerging spoken communicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text presents the survey carried out among parents on the issue of speech development in their children raised in the environment of Polish-Swedish bilingualism in Sweden and convictions about the role of a speech-language pathologist in bilingual upbringing. The aim of this study is to fill the gap in speech-language pathology research on the parental perception of bilingualism in their children. Thematic analysis, a method applied in speech-language pathology abroad, was employed to obtain the results. The selected themes and the accompanying notions were characterised by diversity and multi-sidedness, which permits the conclusion on the holistic need to consider the subject of Polish-Swedish bilingualism in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Approximately 1 in 10 children with hearing loss is affected by auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). People who have ANSD usually have great difficulty understanding speech or communicating. However, it is possible for these patients to have audiograms that may indicate profound hearing loss up to normal hearing. This disorder is prognosed with positive, intact or present otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and/or cochlear microphonics (CM) as well as abnormal or absent auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Treatment methods include conventional hearing aids as well as cochlear implants. Cochlear implants (CI) usually promise better speech understanding for ANSD patients. We performed a systematic literature review aiming to show what improvements can effectively be achieved with cochlear implants in children with ANSD and compare this with our experience with two cases of ANSD implanted at our clinic. The retrospective review of two young CI patients diagnosed with ANSD during infancy demonstrated improvements over time in speech development communicated by their parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech is a communication method found only in humans that relies on precisely articulated sounds to encode and express thoughts. Anatomical differences in the maxilla, mandible, tooth position, and vocal tract affect tongue placement and broadly influence the patterns of airflow and resonance during speech production. Alterations in these structures can create perceptual distortions in speech known as speech sound disorders (SSDs). As craniofacial development occurs, the vocal tract, jaws, and teeth change in parallel with stages of speech development, from babbling to adult phonation. Alterations from a normal Class 1 dental and skeletal relationship can impact speech. Dentofacial disharmony (DFD) patients have jaw disproportions, with a high prevalence of SSDs, where the severity of malocclusion correlates with the degree of speech distortion. DFD patients often seek orthodontic and orthognathic surgical treatment, but there is limited familiarity among dental providers on the impacts of malocclusion and its correction on speech. We sought to review the interplay between craniofacial and speech development and the impacts of orthodontic and surgical treatment on speech. Shared knowledge can facilitate collaborations between dental specialists and speech pathologists for the proper diagnosis, referral, and treatment of DFD patients with speech pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auditory discrimination, the hearing ability crucial for speech and language development, allowing one to perceive changes in volume, duration and frequency of sounds, was assessed for 366 participants with normal peripheral hearing: 220 participants with auditory processing disorders (APD) and 146 typically developing (TD) children, all aged 6–9 years. Discrimination of speech was tested with nonsense words using the phoneme discrimination test (PDT), while pure tones—with the frequency pattern test (FPT). The obtained results were statistically analyzed and correlated. The median of the FPT results obtained by participants with APD was more than twice lower than those of TD (20% vs. 50%; p < 0.05), similarly in the PDT (21 vs. 24; p < 0.05). The FPT results of 9-year-old APD participants were worse than the results of TD 6-year-olds (30% vs. 40%; p < 0.05), indicating that the significant FPT deficit strongly suggests APD. The process of auditory discrimination development does not complete with the acquisition of phonemes but continues during school age. Physiological phonemes discrimination is not yet equalized among 9-year-olds. Nonsense word tests allow for reliable testing of phoneme discrimination. APD children require testing with PDT and FPT because both test results allow for developing individual therapeutic programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consistency of word production contributes to carers' ability to understand children's speech. Reports of the proportion of words produced consistently by typically developing preschool children, however, vary widely from 17% to 87%. This paper examines the quantitative (consistency count) and qualitative (e.g. phonemic analysis) characteristics of word consistency in 96 children aged 36–60 months. Children named 15 pictures twice, in separate trials, in the same assessment session. The mean consistency of the production for the whole group was 82%. Older children were more consistent than younger children. Girls were more consistent than boys. Words produced correctly in one trial and in error in another may indicate resolving error patterns. Words produced in error in two different ways provided useful evidence about the nature of inconsistent word production in typically developing children. The clinical and theoretical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the improvements in quality of life and auditory performance via a descriptive report using patient-related outcomes measures in a group of children with cochlear implants (CI). Methods: This was a longitudinal and retrospective study based on the analysis of patient records of a total of 28 children with CI, 18 of whom had bilateral (64.3%) and 10 had unilateral (35.7%). The study included repeated within-subject measures of Hearing Implants Quality of Life (CuHI-QoL), Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP-II), Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing scale-Parents’ version (SSQ-P) scales, and Implant Recipient Follow-up (IRF) form at 6-month intervals from baseline up to 24 months. Results: During the 2-year follow-up assessments, all children with CI showed statistically significant improvement over time in their CAPII, SSQ-P, CuHI-QoL, and IRF scores (p<0.001). The most significant increase in scores occurred within the first six months following the baseline and then continued to increase gradually at a slower pace over time. A moderate negative relationship was found between the age of implantation and SSQ-P and family satisfaction scores of IRF (p<0.05). Conclusions: Family expectations, overall well-being, quality of life, auditory, and verbal skills increase positively with earlier CI intervention. Moreover, the subjective assessment results showed that parents-positive attitudes toward implantation, and willingness to recommend it to others have steadily increased in time. Although the cohort is relatively small and variable, the results offer a descriptive view to outcomes in real-world practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe coping strategies used by parents of children with cleft palate with or without a cleft (CP ± L) during the early development of their children in El Salvador. Design: Qualitative interviews were completed with 16 parents of children born with CP ± L who were 6 months to 6 years old. Parents were questioned about their emotions and coping during eight time periods: prenatal, birth, social interaction before the first surgery, the beginning of surgeries, social interaction after the first surgery, early childhood education (ECE), speech–language therapy, and formal education. Thematic analysis (TA) was used to identify coping strategies as conceptualized by Lazarus and Folkman (1984). Results: Four major themes emerged: (a) experienced emotions related to diagnosis, (b) interpretations related to the birth of a child with a cleft, (c) seeking and experiencing cleft treatment, and (d) social interaction of the children. During prenatal and birth stages, parents used emotion-focused strategies. A few hours to a week after birth, they used problem-focused strategies, which led them in search of treatment. Some parents used avoidance strategies during periods of social interaction before surgery, ECE, and formal education. Socioeconomic challenges impacted access to speech–language therapy. Sociocultural factors, such as discrimination, religion, and folk beliefs, appeared to influence some of the coping strategies used by parents. Conclusions: Problem-focused strategies appear to be helpful in seeking surgical treatments. The emotion-focused strategy of avoidance seemed to have adverse effects in minimizing opportunities for social interaction prior to surgery and early education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech sound disorders can pose a challenge to communication in children that may persist into adulthood. As some speech sounds are known to require differential control of anterior versus posterior regions of the tongue body, valid measurement of the degree of differentiation of a given tongue shape has the potential to shed light on development of motor skill in typical and disordered speakers. The current study sought to compare the success of multiple techniques in quantifying tongue shape complexity as an index of degree of lingual differentiation in child and adult speakers. Using a pre-existing data set of ultrasound images of tongue shapes from adult speakers producing a variety of phonemes, we compared the extent to which three metrics of tongue shape complexity differed across phonemes/phoneme classes that were expected to differ in articulatory complexity. We then repeated this process with ultrasound tongue shapes produced by a sample of young children. The results of these comparisons suggested that a modified curvature index and a metric representing the number of inflection points best reflected small changes in tongue shapes across individuals differing in vocal tract size. Ultimately, these metrics have the potential to reveal delays in motor skill in young children, which could inform assessment procedures and treatment decisions for children with speech delays and disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers adults' perception of subtle differences in the error productions of /r/ and /l/ in young children. Given that these two phonemes share a common substitution [w], the potential covert contrast between these three sounds was investigated. The utility of two perceptual rating scales was compared: a linear visual analogue scale (VAS) and a triangular scale that considered the possibility of covert contrast among /r,l,w/. Adult listeners rated speech productions from children with cochlear implants (CIs) and speech age-matched children with normal hearing (NH) as they produced VCV or CV productions with /r,l,w/ in syllable-initial position. Mahalanobis distances of the listener ratings for each stimulus on each rating scale were calculated for analysis. Ultimately, there was no difference between the ratings of the two speaker populations. However, there was a significant difference in the amount of variability captured with each scale. The triangular scale reliably captured more variability in the productions than the linear VAS. The significant effect of scale type on the spread of listeners' responses provides support for the claim that the type of rating system used can capture different aspects of a listener's perceptions, thereby suggesting that the type of rating system used in a study may significantly influence that study's findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionYoung children with Down syndrome (DS) present with speech and language impairments very early in childhood. Historically, early language intervention for children with DS included manual signs, though recently there has been an interest in the use of speech-generating devices (SGDs). This paper examines the language and communication performance of young children with DS who participated in parent-implemented communication interventions that included SGDs. Specifically, we compared the functional vocabulary usage and communication interaction skills of children with DS who received augmented communication interventions (AC) that included an SGD with those children with DS who received spoken communication intervention (SC).MethodsTwenty-nine children with DS participated in this secondary data analysis. These children were part of one of two longitudinal RCT studies investigating the effectiveness of parent-implemented augmented communication interventions in a larger sample of 109 children with severe communication and language impairments.ResultsThere were significant differences between children with DS in the AC and SC groups in terms of the number and proportion of functional vocabulary targets used and the total vocabulary targets provided during the intervention at sessions 18 (lab)and 24 (home).DiscussionOverall, the AC interventions provided the children with a way to communicate via an SGD with visual-graphic symbols and speech output, while the children in the SC intervention were focused on producing spoken words. The AC interventions did not hinder the children’s spoken vocabulary development. Augmented communication intervention can facilitate the communication abilities of young children with DS as they are emerging spoken communicators.