SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Language Therapy”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

PubMed1980

Dimensions of therapeutic behavior.

This study was designed to identify and structure the most significant behaviors of clinicians and clients engaged in speech and language therapy. A total of 428 clinical supervisors in 114 university training programs evaluated the therapeutic behavior of 480 clinician-client dyads. Results of a factor analysis of the clinicians' behavior yielded three distinct dimensions: "interpersonal relationship," "technical skill," and "target behavior" factors. A factor analysis of the clients' behavior resulted in two dimensions: "rapport" and "therapy feedback" factors. Based on these findings, the structure of therapeutic behavior is discussed along with implications for future clinical training and research strategies.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2000

Neurological and MRI profiles of children with developmental language impairment.

Children with developmental language impairment (LI) are defined partly by the absence of other identifiable neurological diagnoses. Such children are generally considered to be neurologically normal, but no systematic studies of neurological function have been reported. We obtained detailed medical histories and conducted neurological examinations for 72 children aged 5 to 14 years with LI and 82 typically developing age-matched control children. All the children took a standardized test of language, and those who were at least 8 years old and were willing to have brain MRI scans (35 children with LI and 27 control children) had scans. Analysis of developmental milestones from the medical histories revealed that children with LI were not only significantly later in speaking, but also mildly but significantly delayed in motor milestones, particularly walking. On neurological examination, abnormalities were found in 70% of the children with LI and only 22% of the control children. The most common abnormalities in the LI group included obligatory synkinesis, fine motor impairments, and hyperreflexia. The children with LI with the most abnormal neurological findings had the lowest language scores. Finally, 12 of 35 children with LI had abnormalities on their MRI scan, while none of the 27 control children had abnormal scans. Abnormal findings included ventricular enlargement (in five), central volume loss (in three), and white matter abnormalities (in four). These findings suggest that developmental LI is not an isolated finding but is indicative of more widespread nervous system dysfunction. Children with LI may need more comprehensive intervention programs than language therapy alone, depending on their other areas of dysfunction. Early identification of such problems may allow for more successful remediation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Informing educational change to improve clinical competence.

The factors that have influenced the current approaches to speech and language therapy education in Great Britain are discussed. A project is presented which will provide data on how educational approaches can more clearly reflect professional practice.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Etiological aspects of anterior open bite and its implications to the oral functions].

BACKGROUND: Open bite is a complex anomaly that has a difficult treatment. Frequently, unsatisfactory results and relapse of orthodontic treatment are observed. AIM: To associate orofacial malfunction and deleterious oral habits to anterior open bite. To congregate evidences for the better understanding of the etiology and of the development of anterior open bite and its potential association to myofunctional disorders. METHOD: An exploratory study, to obtain relative risk measurements associating clinical characteristics, sucking habits and myofunctional alterations in 130 scholars. This study was developed in two stages: the first was based on a questionnaire about the child's oral habits which was answered by the parents, and the second involved odontologic and speech-language evaluations. RESULTS: In this sample, the most prevalent occlusion disorder was anterior open bite, which was associated to vertical facial growth (relative risk (RR) 3.12; confidence internal (CI) 1.20-9.90) and to Angle's Class II malocclusion (p-value = 0.01). An association was also observed for anterior open bite and lingual interference (RR 2.44; CI 1.13-5.27). The same was not observed for speech disorders (RR 0.80; CI 0.20-2.30). CONCLUSION: A correlation exists between the etiology of anterior open bite, deleterious oral habits, and a few orofacial malfunctions. An association between the history of deleterious habits and the occurrence of lingual interposition during swallowing, as well as with speech disorders was identified. These findings emphasize the necessary interaction between orthodontists and speech-language pathologist during the treatment of patients. The rehabilitation role of speech-language therapy stands out, through the oral myofunctional therapy, emphasizing the positioning of the tongue during swallowing, speech and when in habitual position.

Bottle Feeding↗

PubMed1991

Perception of pitch contours in single words in alaryngeal speech.

The perception and production of pitch contours were investigated in single words produced by two groups of alaryngeal speakers: tracheo-oesophageal (TE) and oesophageal (E) speakers. High quality tape-recordings of three tonal patterns by four oesophageal and eight tracheo-oesophageal speakers in monosyllabic words were judged by a group of six speech and language therapy listeners. The results indicated that tonal patterns can be produced with a relatively high level of reliability for both speaker groups. Some individual speakers from both groups approached predicted normal levels. These findings emphasise the importance of providing the opportunity for patients to acquire either of these speech modes in alaryngeal rehabilitation, rather than simply being provided with an artificial larynx, particularly in countries where tone languages are used. The high variability between groups also suggests that other variables apart from alaryngeal speech mode may be relevant in determining ability to signal tonal patterns.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

'I never even gave it a second thought': PGCE students' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with speech and language impairments.

Approximately 7% of young school-aged children have specific language impairments. Many such children are now being educated in mainstream settings. However, there is a dearth of up-to-date and valid research that considers UK (student) teachers' attitudes towards such children. This study aimed to investigate trainee teachers' attitudes towards teaching children with speech and language impairments, to investigate the reported effects of those attitudes on participants' acceptance of teaching such children, and to consider any implications for speech and language therapy (SLT) services and inclusive education. Nineteen trainee teachers (PGCE students) from a university in the North West of England took part in semistructured group interviews. The data were transcribed and analysed qualitatively, and recurrent themes identified. A range of attitudes was expressed, and six major themes were identified from the data. Participants discussed concerns about the resources and knowledge they considered necessary to support fully children with specific language impairments. There was some differentiation of attitudes related to the types of disability that a child may have and the subject being taught. Much of the discussion was about disabilities in general rather than specific to speech and language impairments. Many of the participants reflected on their own previous experiences to inform their opinions. Although many of the participants expressed positive attitudes, some had concerns about workload and at least one was openly hostile to the idea of teaching children with disabilities within mainstream settings. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to previous research, the quantitative data obtained in this project, SLT services and the increases in the inclusion of children with specific language impairments into mainstream educational settings.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

[Diagnostic value of ERTL4: a screening test of language disorders in 4-year-old children].

BACKGROUND: Language disorders in children are frequent and may sometimes severely affect their development. ERTL4 (screening test for language disorders of children aged 4) is the first test for screening language disorders to be used by doctors. It has not yet been evaluated. AIM: The objective of this study is to assess and optimize the diagnostic value of the ERTL4 test and to evaluate its potential interest as a screening test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample of 370 children was randomly constituted among children aged between 3 years 9 months and 4 years 6 months from schools in Nancy, France and surrounding areas. These children undertook both the ERTL4 test and a standardized examination of language and speech as a reference. RESULTS: Among the 325 children included in the analysis, 34.1% presented with disorders requiring speech and language therapy. ERTL4 sensitivity and specificity were 88.6% and 66.8%, respectively. Varying thresholds for disorder diagnoses and proposals for a modified test led to a sensitivity of 72.9% and a specificity of 91.0%. The proportion of well-classified subjects improved from 73.8% to 85.3% (P < 10(-3)). The positive predictive value was 78.7% and the negative predictive value was 88.1% (with the observed frequency in the sample). CONCLUSION: ERTL4 is a good test for doctors to screening of children's language disorders and their management.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

[Behavior problems in language-impaired children: therapy evaluation using child behavior checklist].

Speech and language impaired children often show accompanying behavioral and emotional problems, putting an additional burden on their developmental course. In a sample of 57 children with a specific speech and language disorder we evaluated the behavioral changes after therapeutic intervention. The children got intensive treatment for about 15 months. Before the beginning of the treatment, all children were assessed using clinical psychiatric interviews and observations and were diagnosed according to the multiaxial classification scheme. The CBCL was filled in by the same parent before and after the treatment program. The Total Behavior Problem Score was used to assess changes in behavioral problems. The school type as well as the still necessary therapeutic interventions after the completion of the treatment program were used as global measures of psychosocial adaptation. 45 of 57 children had a psychiatric diagnosis on axis 1 of the multiaxial classification scheme. Hyperkinetic disorder, with or without conduct disorders were the most commonly given diagnoses, in addition to emotional disorders and adjustment problems. Before treatment, the children with a psychiatric diagnosis had higher scores on the Total Behavior Problem Score than the children without a psychiatric diagnosis. The children with psychiatric problems showed a significant decrease in the Total Behavior Problem Score of the CBCL. Although the children with a conduct disorder also showed improvement after treatment, their CBCL scores remained high. The stability of their problems was associated with a worse school prognosis and with further institutional care after the end of the treatment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Parents' beliefs and ideas about children's early speech and language difficulties.

This paper reports a qualitative investigation of the ideas and beliefs of parents about their pre-school children's speech and language difficulties. It forms part of a broader study of parental opinions about speech and language difficulties and the speech and language therapy (SLT) intervention they receive. Factors contributing to the development of professional interest in parental views will be reviewed, followed by an outline of the beliefs and ideas expressed by the parents in in-depth interviews. The paper will also discuss parents' views in their wider context and consider implications for SLT practice.

Attitude↗

PubMed2000

Professional composition of community learning disability teams in Scotland: implications for service provision.

A survey of all trusts in Scotland who provided specialist services to people with learning disabilities was made with a response rate of 100%. An examination was made of the professional composition of the community learning disability teams and the population covered. A disparity was found across Scottish trusts in the professions represented in the community learning disability teams with some professions having no input. Nursing and Clinical Psychology were found to be the two professional groups with largest representation across Scotland and along with Speech and Language Therapy had representation in all of the Teams. A review of some of the factors which have impacted on the role and professional composition of these services is made and the implications discussed.

Community Health Services↗

PubMed2001

The application of student-centred learning approaches to clinical education.

This paper explores current thinking on adult learning and discusses its application to the clinical education of speech and language therapy students. It is based on evidence from a two-year project funded by the Trent Regional Consortium, which is trialling an innovative means of providing paediatric placements. The educational literature has recognised for some time the importance of student-centred teaching and learning and has encouraged movement away from a didactic teacher-student model to one where students are seen as active in the learning process. This paper offers a model as to how these principles may be applied to clinical placements to promote self-directed lifelong learning and to prepare speech and language therapists to meet the challenges of continuing professional development and the ever-changing working environment.

Humans↗

PubMed1998

Pre-school assessment project comparing assessment in the clinic or home.

From clinical experience it has been found that it is often difficult to assess young children in a clinical environment. Therefore, the aim of this project was to assess the communication of children in either the home or the clinic environment and to determine whether a more realistic impression of the child's language was obtained from home initial assessment. The results of this study suggest that for children who are 39 months old or less on the date of referral to speech and language therapy, a more representative sample of communication skills does emerge from initial assessment in the home environment. The conclusions drawn also indicate that the attendance rates for home assessments were significantly better than those for clinic appointments and this in turn meant that there was a subsequent cost saving to the department.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed2006

Follow-up of children with autism spectrum disorders from age 2 to age 9.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the developmental outcomes of children 7 years after their initial diagnosis. Children diagnosed with autism or PDD-NOS at age 2 received follow-up evaluations at age 9. Diagnostic stability was high, with 88 percent of the sample obtaining autism spectrum diagnoses at age 9. Cognitive scores improved considerably for a large segment of the sample, with over 50 percent obtaining scores in the average range at follow-up. Language outcomes were also positive at follow-up; 88 percent of the sample demonstrated at least some functional language, and 32 percent were able to engage in conversational exchanges. Early characteristics that predicted outcome status were: age of diagnosis, age 2 cognitive and language scores, and total hours of speech-language therapy between ages 2 and 3. These findings highlight the potential long-term benefits of both early identification and early intervention, and provide additional evidence for the importance of promoting public awareness of the early signs of autism.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed2001

All placements great and small: an analysis of clinical placement offers made by SLT services.

This paper will present the results of a survey of clinical placement offers for one academic year in one particular region. The data presented confirm that there are issues of shortfall and inconsistency across speech and language therapy (SLT) service providers within this region. This information has been analysed in a variety of ways and presented to SLT managers within the region and the lead NHS Consortium responsible for purchasing SLT education in the context of a 'work force cycle'. Suggestions will be made as to possible ways forward using these data.

Education, Professional↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Patterns of phonological disability in Cantonese-speaking children in Hong Kong.

Tone, vowel and consonant production are described for a large group of Cantonese-speaking children assessed in speech and language therapy clinics in Hong Kong. The patterns of disability follow predictions made on the basis of work on normal phonological development in Cantonese, and on psychoacoustic factors in acquisition: consonants account for more disability than vowels, and tones are least problematic. Possible articulatory and auditory contributions to explanation of the observed patterns are discussed.

Articulation Disorders↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inappropriate sexual behaviour experienced by speech-language therapists.

Inappropriate sexual behaviour by clients or patients of health professionals has been noted as a considerable problem in a number of professions. Similarly, sexual harassment by colleagues or employers has been identified as causing stress and harm. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the experience of speech-language therapists in New Zealand of inappropriate sexual behaviour (ISB) by colleagues, clients, and care givers of clients. A questionnaire developed by McComas and colleagues to investigate ISB directed by patients at physical therapists in Canada was adapted to meet the broader requirements of this study. This questionnaire was sent to all members of the New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists' Association and to current third- and fourth-year students in the Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy degree programme in 1994. The overall return rate was 70%. A large number of respondents (81%) reported experiencing some level of ISB. The number of incidents of ISB from clients and colleagues was identified with equal frequency; care givers less frequently. Fewer students than qualified therapists reported ISB as sexual harassment. ISB affects work performance (e.g. absenteeism) and causes psychological reactions (e.g. stress). A majority of respondents reported being satisfied with how they handled ISB but considered there would be value in having training for both qualified and student therapists in managing such behaviour. Conclusions drawn from the study are that colleagues as well as clients are a serious source of ISB for qualified and student speech-language therapists; that negative effects in this group are similar to those in other professions; that speech-language therapists experience less ISB from clients than some other professions; and that, despite legal steps to curb sexual harassment, it continues to be an issue that requires local administrative and educative attention.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Barriers to initiating insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in public-sector primary health care centres in Cape Town.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Cape Town who attend primary care community health centres (CHCs) have unsatisfactory glycaemic control. Insulin is rarely prescribed despite its being indicated for type 2 diabetic patients with inadequate metabolic control on maximum oral glucose-lowering agent (OGLA) therapy. OBJECTIVE: The study examined barriers to initiating insulin therapy in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes patients on maximum OGLAs in CHCs in the Cape Town metropolis. METHODS: Five focus group discussions and 10 in-depth semistructured individual interviews were conducted with 46 medical officers working at the CHCs. The discussions and interviews were transcribed and common themes were identified and categorised. RESULTS: Doctor, patient, and system barriers to initiating insulin therapy were identified. Doctors' barriers include lack of knowledge, lack of experience with and use of guidelines related to insulin therapy, language barriers between doctor and patients, and fear of hypoglycaemia. Patient barriers were mistaken beliefs about insulin, non-compliance, lack of understanding of diabetes, use of traditional herbs, fear of injections, and poor socioeconomic conditions. System barriers were inadequate time, lack of continuity of care and financial constraints. CONCLUSION: Suggestions for overcoming barriers include further education of doctors on insulin initiation and the use of standardised guidelines. In addition, a patient-centred approach with better communication between doctors and patients, which may be achieved by reorganising aspects of the health system, may improve patient knowledge, address mistaken beliefs, improve compliance and help overcome barriers. Further research is needed to investigate these recommendations and assess patients' and nurses' perceptions on initiating insulin therapy.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Familial aspect and phonological disorder].

BACKGROUND: Phonological disorder. AIM: To verify the phonological processes used by phonologically disordered children with and without family history of speech and language disorders; the association between the phonological processes; the difference between the Percentage of Correct Consonants-Revised (PCC-R) severity index regarding family history. METHOD: Participants were 104 subjects--25 phonologically disordered children--with no history of previous speech-language therapy, living with their biological parents and siblings. The material used was a child development questionnaire and the phonology tests of the Teste de Linguagem Infantil-ABFW. RESULTS: Liquid simplification was the most observed process independently of family history; the phonological process of devoicing was mostly observed when the family members presented phonological disorders; the phonological process observed in children are, in general, different from those presented by the family nucleus, and those that are similar do not determine characteristics of family history since they are processes frequently observed in subjects with phonological disorders; the PCC-R severity index did not differentiate types of phonological disorders regarding family history. CONCLUSION: This research shows characteristics that indicate that family history of speech and language disorder is associated to phonological disorders. The knowledge about the child's family history facilitates the planning and execution of early intervention actions, preventing the aggravation of phonological disorders. The PCC-R severity index does not differentiate types of phonological disorders regarding family history.

Articulation Disorders↗