COMPARING THE MOTOR SKILLS OF 4 AND 5-YEAR-OLD EDUCABLE MENTALLY RETARDED GIRLS WITH THEIR PEER GROUPS USING PEABODY DEVELOPMENTAL MOTOR SCALES

Abstract. Objective: The development of motor skills in preschool children plays a fundamental role insubsequent learning, with some researchers believing that motor skill learning determines future learning, and superior mental processes result from the proper development of the perceptual-motor systems. Motor performance in children affects their learning skills, so the lack of proper motor activity is a hurdle involved in a child’s explorative, playing and learning experiences. Method This descriptive, analytical study is cross-sectional in nature. The researcher described and analyzed the motor skill of two subject groups, one consisting of normal girls and the other consisting of educable mentally retarded girls, aged 4 to 5, across Tehran’s kindergartens. Multistage randomization was performed to select a statistical population totaling 60 subjects. The test consisted of two parts; one assessed the gross motor skills and the other assessed the fine motor skills. Results: Data were analyzed by the analysis of variance and t-test. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant deference between 4 and 5-year old normal and educable mentally retarded girls. There was not a significant difference between 5-year old normal and educable mentally retarded girls in terms of the mean value of the fine and gross motor skills and their sub-categories. There was not a significant difference between 4 and 5-year old normal girlsin the fine and gross skills based on the Peabody test. Conclusion: Mentally retarded girls had lower ability at gross and soft motor skills than normal girls, and the Peabody test was a proper method to examine this property.Keywords: Motor skills, mentally retarded children, Peabody tes

Auditory Site of Lesion in Infants Suffering from Hyperbilirubinemia by Using ABR and TEOAEs

Background and Aim: Hyperbilirubinemia is one of the most common abnormalities during the neonatal period. Approximately 60% full-term and 80% preterm neonates suffer from hyperbilirubinemia. Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent side-effects of hyperbilirubinemia. This happens when the serum concentration of indirect bilirubin increases dramatically. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the hearing status and to diagnose the probable site of lesion in affected children. Materials and Methods : In this cross-sectional study, 33 newborn to two year old subjects suffering from hyperbilirubinemia were evaluated using auditory brainstem response (ABR) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) tests In the Audiology department of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences Iran University of Medical Sciences sampling method was accessible. Results: 21% of the subjects had severe to profound hearing loss and 9% of subjects had mild to moderate hearing loss. In 15% of the subjects there was no response to ABR and TEOAE tests indicating cochlear and/or retrocochlear lesion. The other 15% manifest only abnormal ABR test indicating the presence of the auditory neuropathy. Conclusion: TEOAE test has its own limitations in these subjects, that is the hearing status of such patients can not be completely evaluated by using just TEOAE test. Therefore, to detect hearing loss both ABR and TEOAE tests must be performed in these subjects

Comparison of Initial Effect of Taping Techniqe and Counterforce Brace on Pain and Grip Strength of Patients with Lateral Epicondylitis

Objective: In patients with lateral epicondylitis present of pain and decrease of grip strength are essential problems. Use of splint have major rule in treatment these patients that causes relief of pain and increase of grip strength. Both taping technique and counterforce brace are two methods of treatments of lateral epicondylitis patients but we were not sure which method could be more useful and Answer of this question is magor aim of this study. Materials & Methods: This study is a Quasi experimental. We selected 30 patients between 30-55 years conveniently and divided them in two groups simple randomized.  Results: In grip strength test, the average difference between two methods was t = 1/92 which showed there is not significant. So, there isn't any difference between two methods on grip strength. In assessment of pain, we tested patients in two positions: first patient's hand was in comfort position, second in which when wrist of hand was in extension position. In both of position, that average difference between two methods (first t = 3/78 and secondary t = 3/2) found to be significant. Choose of method in such treatment is considered to be important. Conclusion: taping technique is more effective than counterforce brace to relief of pain of patients with lateral epicondylitis, but in grip strength no difference between two methods

Study of Bone Conduction of MLD Test

Materials and Methods: It is for the first time in Iran that designing and construction of phase-shifter instrument for performing Masking Level Difference have been studied. For reducing limitations of MLD test in middle ear pathologies, new methods of performing MLD has been considered. In this method noise is conducted by bone vibrator, located on forehead. The comparison between standard method and proposed method has been obtained. Forty 20-25 year-old men referring to the Faculty of Rehabilitation Science in Iran university of Medical Sciences have been tested in the period of time between 10.30.1998 to 12.21.1998. The MLD test was performed in both method at frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, 2000 & 4000 Hz. Results: The mean of MLD results n the standard method was 11.175 dB ranging from 10 to 13 dB that is in accordance with normative data. There was no significant difference between the means obtained in the methods for performing MLD. In both methods the MLD means decreased with frequency increments. Conclusion: It is preferable to use proposal method in middle ear disorders due to normal cochlear sensitivity and subsequently enough noise that is conducted by bone conduction (60 dB SPL)

Auditory Brainstem Response Latency: Headphone Versus Bone Vibrator Procedures

Objective: Comparison of Air conduction (AC) and Bone conduction (BC) auditory brain stem response (ABR) latencies. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 34 (17 males, 17 females) normal-hearing young subjects tested with AC- and BC-ABR .Wave V latencies of both procedures were compared Results: BC- wave V latency significantly prolonged about 0.5 ms. That prolongation was less with decreasing intensity. Females' AC-and BC - ABR latencies were less than males'. Conclusion: AC- and BC- ABR appeared to be useful to determine sensory-neural acuity in children with atresia or difficult to test subjects specially newborns

Content Validity of Tavana: a Test for Evaluation of Auditory Skills of 3-4 Year-Old Hearing-Impaired Persian Children

Background and Aim: Evaluation of hearing-impaired children's auditory skills by a valid test is very important before starting auditory training. There are many different tests available for languages other than Persian, and some limited Persian tests for children above 5 year of age as well. Accordingly considering the importance of early intervention, we aimed to design a test for evaluating auditory skills of 3-4 year-old hearing-impaired Persian (Farsi) children, which is not available to date.Methods: The study method was test (scale) construction. The test named Tavana includes four subtests: detection, discrimination, identification and sentence comprehension. For determining content validity of the test, the vocabulary of 3-4 year-old normal-hearing and hearing-impaired children and also the comments of seven specialists were applied. We classified 10,10,8 and 6 sub skills for 1st to 4th subtests, respectively.Results: The content validity of Tavana test's subskills were 100%, 83%, 96% and 95%, respectively (mean=94%). Mean time for test performance was 82 minutes.Conclusion: Content validity of Tavana test was 94% which was statistically valid compared to Modarres test (97%) and Mazaheryazdi test (88%)

Comparison of Balance Abilities of Patients with Right and Left Hemiplegics Stroke

Objective: Improvement of independence of hemiplegics patient especially in balance maintenance is most significant aim of such rehabilitation. Areas of brain lesions in hemiplegics patient and also function of their right and left brain hemispheres were different. We study balance abilities in this two groups of patients. Materials & Methods: In this comparative and cross sectional study 30 patients with brain stroke were selected with non probability and simple selection in two groups by right hemiplegics (16 objects) and left hemiplegics (14 objects). Ranges of Their age were 30 – 58 years and 6 months passed of stroke. The patient balance ability evaluated by Berg Balance Scale (B.B.S) and Forward Functional Reach (F.F.R) and data were analyzed by use of statistical tests such as: Kolmogorov – Smirnov, Independent T and paired T test. Results: According to results, average difference of two groups in (B.B.S) test was significant (P=0.030) but average of score of right group (38/36) was more than left group (28/90). But in (F.F.R) test, average difference between two groups wasn’t significant (P=0.841). Conclusion: According to results, balance especially dynamic balance was related to the side of lesion but in static balance, there was no difference between two groups. According to such results, we can consider good rehabilitation program for improvement of balance of such patients

The Validity and Reliability of Autism Behavior Checklist

 Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric features of the Persian version of the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Method:The International Quality of Life Assessment (IQOLA) approach was used to translate the English ABC into Persian. A total sample of 184 parents of children including 114 children with autism disorder (mean age =7.21, SD =1.65) and 70 typically developing children (mean age = 6.82, SD =1.75) completed the ABC. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent and discriminant validity, and cut-off score were assessed. Results: The results of this study revealed that the Persian version of the ABC has an acceptable degree of internal consistency (.73). Test–retest comparisons using interclass correlation confirmed the instrument’s time stability (.83). The instrument’s concurrent validity with Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) was verified; the correlation between total scores was .94. In the discriminant validity, the autism group had significantly higher scores compared to the normal group. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that individuals with total scores below 25 are less likely to be in the autism group. Conclusion:The Persian version of the ABC can be used as an initial screening tool in clinical contexts

A Computer-Based Sustained Visual Attention Test for Pre-School Children: Design, Development and Psychometric Properties

Background: Sustained visual attention is a prerequisite for learning and memory. The early evaluation of attention in childhood is essential for their school and career success in the future. The aim of this study was to design, development and investigation of psychometric properties (content, face and convergent validity and test-retest and internal consistency reliability) of the computer - based sustained visual attention test (SuVAT) for healthy preschool children aged 4-6 with their special needs. Methods: This study was carried out in two stages: in the first stage computerbased SuVAT in two versions original and parallel were developed. Then the test-retest and internal consistency reliability using intra-class correlation and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients respectively were examined; Face validity was calculated through ideas gathering from 10 preschool children and content validity evaluated using CVI and CVR method and convergent validity of SuVAT with CPT was assessed using Pearson correlation. Results: The developed test showed a good content and faces validity, and also had excellent test-retest reliability. In addition, the assessment of internal consistency indicated the high internal consistency of the test (Cronbach’s alpha=0.869). SuVAT and CPT test demonstrated a positive correlation upon the convergent validity testing. Conclusion: SuVAT with good reliability and validity could be used as an acceptable sustained attention assessment in preschool children

Effect of Corrective Exercises on Chest Expansion in Kyphotic Females

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of corrective exercises on chest expansion in kyphotic girls, aged 11-15. Materials & Methods: This quasi experirnental research was applied as a clinical trial and had done on 50 girls with postural hyperkyphosis those were selected by convenient sampling and assigned to control (n=25) and experimental (n=25) group by simple randomized method. The experimental group received corrective exercises for 15 days and the control group was given no intervention. Chest expansion was measured before and after 15 days in all subjects. Data were analyzed by use of Chi-square, Paired T and Independent T tests. Results: There was statistically significant difference in chest expansion of experimental group between before and after intervention (P<0/001), but in control group there was no significant difference (P=0/746). Also, there was significant difference between two groups after intervention (P=0/02). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that corrective exercises can lead to improvement of chest expansion in kyphotic girls. Further study with larger sample size is needed to support the findings of this study