Objetivo: Verificar, por meio de investigação retrospectiva, a relação entre a técnica cirúrgica utilizada para reparação do palato com a presença ou ausência de alterações de fala e audição em crianças com Sequência de Robin e fissura de palato associada. Local de execução: Laboratório de Fonética Experimental do Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais da Universidade de São Paulo (HRACUSP). Método: estudo retrospectivo de informações que constam nos prontuários de 108 crianças com fissura de palato e Sequência de Robin (SR), submetidas à correção cirúrgica primária do palato no HRAC. As crianças foram subdivididas em 2 grupos de acordo com a técnica cirúrgica utilizada para reparação do palato (grupo Furlow e grupo von Langenbeck). Investigou-se dados da avaliação médica (tipo de técnica e idade em que realizou a correção cirúrgica do palato e tipo de obstrução respiratória), dados referentes as avaliações fonoaudiológicas de fala e audição após o procedimento cirúrgico (presença e tipo de queixa auditiva, medidas de imitância acústica, audiometria tonal limiar, função velofaríngea e distúrbios articulatórios compensatórios). Resultados: Crianças operadas pela técnica de von Langenbeck(VL) realizaram o procedimento em idade superior ao grupo Furlow(F). A obstrução respiratória tipo I foi predominante em ambos sendo 89,5%(F) e 94,1%(VL). O tipo de queixa auditiva comumente relatada foi à otalgia 70,2%(F) e 80,4%(VL). Os resultados das medidas de imitância acústica e audiometria tonal limiar foram similares não sendo observada significância estatística dos resultados entre os grupos. Na análise da fala o grupo Furlow não apresentou alterações no que se refere à presença de escape nasal audível e fraca pressão intra-oral durante a produção de fala. Considerando a ressonância da fala o grupo VL obteve 29,4% de ressonância hipernasal de grau severo. Quanto a função velofaríngea observou-se predomínio de função normal no grupo F 78,9% e função inadequada em 43,1% no grupo VL. O grupo VL apresentou 41,2% de distúrbios articulatórios compensatórios, classificando os fonemas em faixas de frequência não ocorreu diferenças estatísticas significativas. Conclusão: A técnica de F demonstrou melhores resultados considerando a produção de fala e qualidade de ressonância oro-nasal em comparação com a técnica de VL, porém ambos os procedimentos não obtiveram sucesso nas alterações auditivas. / Objective: To verify, through retrospective investigation the relationship between the surgical techniques used on palate repair with the presence or absence of speech and hearing alterations in children with Robin Sequence and cleft palate associated. Place of execution: Laboratory Fonetic Experimental in the Hospital of Craniofacial Anomalies of University of São Paulo (HRAC-USP). Method: A retrospective study based on information contained in medical records of 108 children with cleft palate and Robin Sequence (RS), not presenting any other associated malformation, submitted to primary surgical correction of the palate in the HRAC. The children were divided in two groups according to the surgical technique utilized for palate repair (Furlow group and von Lagenbeck group). Medical data (technique type, age in which the surgery for palate repair was performed and type of respiratory obstruction), data related to fonoaudiologic speech and listening assessment after surgical procedure (presence and type of hearing complaint, acoustic imitance measures, pure tone audiometry, velopharyngeal function, compensatory articulation disorder). Results: Children in the von Langenbeck group (VL) were submitted to surgery in a superior age when compared to the Furlow group (F). The respiratory obstruction type l was predominant in both groups with 89, 5%(F) and 94, 1 %(VL). The most reported hearing complaint was otalgia with 70,2 (F) and 80,4(VL). The results of acoustic imitance and pure tone audiometry were similar with no statistic significance among groups. Speech analysis of the Furlow group did not present any alterations related to the presence of audible nasal emission and weak intraoral pressure during speech. When considering speech resonance, group VL presented 29,4 % of a high degree nasal resonance. When velopharyngeal function was considered, 78,9 of normal function and 43,1 % of inadequate function were found in group F and group VL respectively. The vL group presented 41,2% of compensatory articulation disorder, when grading phonemes by frequency zones no significant statistic differences were found. Conclusion: The F technique presented better results in speech production and oronasal resonance when compared with the VL technique, however both procedures were not successful on hearing alterations.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine if an association exists among the diagnosis of speech-language impairments (SLI) and the diagnoses of learning disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a school-aged population of children referred to a Learning Disorders Clinic (LDC) because of academic underachievement and/or behavior problems. The two research questions asked in this study are: (a) What percentage of students diagnosed with SLI have a concomitant diagnosis of LD and/or ADHD? and (b) Is there an association among the diagnosis of SLI and the diagnoses of LD and/or ADHD? A sample of 94 subjects was obtained from review of 291 LDC records of children ref erred and diagnosed during the years 1989-1992. The subjects were grouped into eight categories by diagnosis, that is, (a) SLI, (b) SLI/LD, (c) SLI/ADHO, (d) SLI/LO/ADHD, (e) no diagnosis of SLI/LO/AOHD, (f) LO, (g) ADHD, and (h) LD/ADHD. The obtained Chi square value was not statistically significant at a .OS alpha level. Thus, the null hypothesis: there will be no association among the diagnosis of SLI and the diagnoses of LO and/or ADHD, could not be rejected. In this sample, however, 85% of the children diagnosed with SLI had a concomitant diagnosis of LD and/or ADHD, and 70% with no SLI diagnosis were diagnosed with LD and/or ADHD. The overlapping nature of the disorders of SLI, LD, and ADHD is noted. The definitions of SLI and LO demonstrate how enmeshed language and learning problems are. One inference from this study is that as children grow older, their language deficits are recognized in the context of a learning disorder.

Much advice has been published in the last 40 years that has attempted to aid speech-language pathologists in choosing language assessment tools (e.g., Danwitz, 1981 & Darley, 1979 ). Questions have arisen about what tests are actually being used in public schools and the reasons for those tests being used over other tests. The data bank of information is minimal in this area as only one study has appeared in the literature in which Wilson, Blackmon, Hall, & Elcholtz, (1991), conducted a State survey of currently used language assessment instruments. The primary research question to be answered was: What methods of language assessment are being used in Oregon? Secondary questions to be answered were: (a) What factors influence the selection and use of the chosen procedures?, (b) What are the dates of development of the tests used most frequently, (c) By what means do the public school clinicians keep themselves current with new trends and information in the field? There were 567 questionnaires mailed out to Oregon Speech-Language Pathologists who worked in the public school setting and served children 4-9 years of age. Of the 297 respondees, only 4 reported not using any formal instruments for language assessment. Results show 9 main standardized tests were used for measuring expressive language by the majority of the respondents. Listed in order of frequency of use, they are: TOLD, EOWPVT, WORD test, CELF, LPT, SPELT, ASSET, TOPS, and the PLS. For receptive language, also in order of frequency of use, the 1 O main tests were as follows: PPVT, TOLD, CELF, TACL, ASSET, BOEHM, PLS, ROWPVT, BRACKEN, and the LPT. Factors that influenced the selection and use of specific tests included: personal experience; ease of administration; time restraints; budgets and availability of tests and district protocols for assessments. Dates of publication, new and revisions, for both the expressive and receptive tests used ranged from 1983 - 1990. At the time of this survey, the main ways that clinicians were keeping themselves current for new tests on the market were word of mouth from associates, inservices on new tests, and reading new information in journals.

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which learning and recall are facilitated by semantic and phonological targets. A list-learning paradigm was administered to 10 individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury. Participants were asked to recall and identify words that were present on the list. The lists consisted of semantically related associate words and phonologically related associate words. Participants recalled significantly more semantically related associates than phonological associates. Demographic factors such as age, time-post injury, and educational attainment did not have a significant effect on the recall ability for either word target type. Word recognition ability also was not influenced by target type. The results of this study found adults with TBI use a semantic network following brain injury and that semantic targets are more beneficial for recall than phonological targets. / text

Clinicians and teachers may associate slow speech rate with low language ability during assessment in bilingual children. The goals of this thesis are a) to understand the relationship between speech rate and perceived language ability, and b) to understand the causes of within-utterance pauses and between-utterance pauses. English narratives for 116 Spanish–English bilingual 4–6-year-olds were analyzed for speech rate and pause time. Modifiability scores for each child were obtained. There was a low but significant correlation between speech rate and child responsivity. The distribution of between-utterance pauses was significantly different for children with high speech rates and children with low speech rates. An average of 56.5 wpm was found, confirming speech rates averages found in similar studies. These findings suggest that speech rate is one feature that SLPs attend to when considering the responsiveness of a child. Also, long between-utterance pauses can be used as an indicator of low speech rate. / text

A descriptive survey with 19 Speech-Language Therapists from public health and four from private health was used to obtain an overview of Speech-Language Therapy services for children with cleft lip and/or palate from birth to three years in the KwaZulu-Natal Health Sector. Results are presented for public health, as none of the four private based respondents worked with cleft lip and/or palate from birth to three years. The number of Speech-Language Therapists (9) working with cleft lip and/or palate (0-3 years) in KwaZulu-Natal appears not to have changed significantly over the past two to three years, similar to the incidence of cleft lip and/or palate births. Reasons for Speech-Language Therapists not working with this population included poor referrals and caseloads comprising of clients older than three years. A team approach to cleft care appears challenging but showing development. There are currently four institutions where professionals function as multidisciplinary teams, consisting mainly of Speech-Language Therapists, doctors and nurses. Speech-Language Therapists’ assessments include case history taking, oral peripheral examination, observational feeding assessment and speech-language assessment. Most therapists are consulted within a few days of the birth, which is consistent with international guidelines. Audiological assessment and assessment of resonance were mentioned by a minority of participants. Feeding devices for cleft lip and/or palate are not always available immediately, and hence appears contradictory to the National Rehabilitation Policy. Recommendations include undertaking similar research in other provinces, so as to build a nationwide overview of services for South African children with cleft lip and/or palate. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Statement of the problem. Hypernasality resulting from velopharyngeal insufficiency or incompetency is a resonance disorder that has negative consequences for speech production and intelligibility of afflicted individuals. Purpose. The purpose of this prospective study is to ascertain if a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina, termed the Toronto Palatal Lift Prosthesis (TPLP), can assist velopharyngeal valve function to reduce hypernasality in patients. Methods. A prospective study of six patients treated with the TPLP was compared by the outcome measures of nasalance scores, perceptual evaluations, and patient satisfaction to those obtained using a contemporary acrylic palatal lift prosthesis. Results. The six patients had varying degrees of reduction in hypernasality and acceptance of the TPLP. Conclusion. On the basis of this preliminary study on the TPLP it is possible to fabricate a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina that reduces hypernasality in select patients.

Statement of the problem. Hypernasality resulting from velopharyngeal insufficiency or incompetency is a resonance disorder that has negative consequences for speech production and intelligibility of afflicted individuals. Purpose. The purpose of this prospective study is to ascertain if a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina, termed the Toronto Palatal Lift Prosthesis (TPLP), can assist velopharyngeal valve function to reduce hypernasality in patients. Methods. A prospective study of six patients treated with the TPLP was compared by the outcome measures of nasalance scores, perceptual evaluations, and patient satisfaction to those obtained using a contemporary acrylic palatal lift prosthesis. Results. The six patients had varying degrees of reduction in hypernasality and acceptance of the TPLP. Conclusion. On the basis of this preliminary study on the TPLP it is possible to fabricate a palatal lift prosthesis with a generic silicon velar lamina that reduces hypernasality in select patients.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 41-45).