Developmental apraxia of speech in children. Quantitive assessment of speech characteristics

Contains fulltext : 18648.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) in children is a speech disorder, supposed to have a neurological origin, which is commonly considered to result from particular deficits in speech processing (i.e., phonological planning, motor programming). However, the label DAS has often been used as acatch-all' diagnosis owing to imprecise delineation and a confusing overlap of conditions. Motivated by this state of affairs, the main goal of this thesis was to develop appropriate diagnostic assessment procedures in order to identify speech characteristics specific for DAS in school-aged children. More explicitly, the main objectives of this study were: (1) to develop a standardized diagnostic procedure which yields objective, quantitative measures for speech and speech-motoric capacities of relevance for the diagnosis of DAS and (2) to develop procedures of classification, based on quantitative measures, to differentiate DAS from other childhood communication disorders. In the light of the latter objective, quantitative measures, usable to make a differential diagnosis, were re-examined regarding their validity for the assessment of the degree of dyspraxic involvement (i.e., severity of DAS). The studies in this thesis have yielded information about speech characteristics that can serve as valid indices of developmental apraxia of speech in children and procedures to assess these characteristics on an objective and quantitative level. The most important components (measures) that have to form part of a speech-motoric assessment tool: (a) relative frequencies of consonant substitution in words and nonsense words; (b) relative frequencies of place substitutions; (c) patterns of preferences in feature-value substitution; (d) maximum repetition rates (i.e., oral diadochokinesis); (e) maximum fricative duration. Particularly the first two measures (i.e., proportion consonant substitutions and place substitutions) proved their diagnostic value for distinguishing severe expressions of DAS from mild expressions. In clinical practice, the typical speech characteristics of DAS only seldom become manifest in their pure form. A quantitative speech profile determines the extent to which apraxia plays a role in the speech problems of a particular child and thus yields guidelines about the extent to which a treatment approach oriented towards developmental apraxia of speech is indicatedKatholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, 04 maart 1998Promotores : Gabreëls, F.J.M., Schreuder, R. Co-promotor : Maassen, B.A.M.229 p

Developmental apraxia of speech in children. Quantitive assessment of speech characteristics

Developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) in children is a speech disorder, supposed to have a neurological origin, which is commonly considered to result from particular deficits in speech processing (i.e., phonological planning, motor programming). However, the label DAS has often been used as acatch-all' diagnosis owing to imprecise delineation and a confusing overlap of conditions. Motivated by this state of affairs, the main goal of this thesis was to develop appropriate diagnostic assessment procedures in order to identify speech characteristics specific for DAS in school-aged children. More explicitly, the main objectives of this study were: (1) to develop a standardized diagnostic procedure which yields objective, quantitative measures for speech and speech-motoric capacities of relevance for the diagnosis of DAS and (2) to develop procedures of classification, based on quantitative measures, to differentiate DAS from other childhood communication disorders. In the light of the latter objective, quantitative measures, usable to make a differential diagnosis, were re-examined regarding their validity for the assessment of the degree of dyspraxic involvement (i.e., severity of DAS). The studies in this thesis have yielded information about speech characteristics that can serve as valid indices of developmental apraxia of speech in children and procedures to assess these characteristics on an objective and quantitative level. The most important components (measures) that have to form part of a speech-motoric assessment tool: (a) relative frequencies of consonant substitution in words and nonsense words; (b) relative frequencies of place substitutions; (c) patterns of preferences in feature-value substitution; (d) maximum repetition rates (i.e., oral diadochokinesis); (e) maximum fricative duration. Particularly the first two measures (i.e., proportion consonant substitutions and place substitutions) proved their diagnostic value for distinguishing severe expressions of DAS from mild expressions. In clinical practice, the typical speech characteristics of DAS only seldom become manifest in their pure form. A quantitative speech profile determines the extent to which apraxia plays a role in the speech problems of a particular child and thus yields guidelines about the extent to which a treatment approach oriented towards developmental apraxia of speech is indicate

Fonologische onderspecificatie bij verbale ontwikkelingsdyspraxie

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[The Noonan syndrome from a pediatric perspective]

Item does not contain fulltextNoonan syndrome is a relatively common autosomal dominant condition characterised by cardiac defects, short stature, feeding difficulties during the first year of life, and learning and behavioural problems later in life. The diagnosis is clinical and in 50% of cases it can be confirmed by a mutation in the PTPN11 gene. Studies into the effect of growth hormone treatment on final height have yet to provide any definite conclusions. Therefore, for the time being this treatment should be carried out in a research setting. Early-childhood feeding difficulties are troublesome. However, these disappear spontaneously and do not seem to negatively affect growth. Specific developmental patterns, resulting in behavioural and learning problems (non-verbal learning disability) are frequently encountered and require a specific approach

Validity of maximum performance tasks to diagnose motor speech disorders in children.

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Working memory deficits in high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: neuropsychological and neuroimaging correlates

Contains fulltext : 116784.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Working memory is a temporary storage system under attentional control. It is believed to play a central role in online processing of complex cognitive information and may also play a role in social cognition and interpersonal interactions. Adolescents with a disorder on the autism spectrum display problems in precisely these domains. Social impairments, communication difficulties, and repetitive interests and activities are core domains of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and executive function problems are often seen throughout the spectrum. As the main cognitive theories of ASD, including the theory of mind deficit hypotheses, weak central coherence account, and the executive dysfunction theory, still fail to explain the broad spectrum of symptoms, a new perspective on the etiology of ASD is needed. Deficits in working memory are central to many theories of psychopathology, and are generally linked to frontal-lobe dysfunction. This article will review neuropsychological and (functional) brain imaging studies on working memory in adolescents with ASD. Although still disputed, it is concluded that within the working memory system specific problems of spatial working memory are often seen in adolescents with ASD. These problems increase when information is more complex and greater demands on working memory are made. Neuroimaging studies indicate a more global working memory processing or connectivity deficiency, rather than a focused deficit in the prefrontal cortex. More research is needed to relate these working memory difficulties and neuroimaging results in ASD to the behavioral difficulties as seen in individuals with a disorder on the autism spectrum.11 p

Towards a standardised assessment procedure for developmental apraxia of speech

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Transcription of Pathological Speech in Children by Means of extIPA: Agreement and Relevance

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Working memory network alterations in high-functioning adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder

Aim: People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically have deficits in the working memory (WM) system. Working memory is found to be an essential chain in successfully navigating in the social world. We hypothesize that brain networks for WM have an altered network integrity in ASD compared to controls. Methods: 13 adolescents (1 female) with autistic disorder (n = 1), Asperger's disorder (n = 7), and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (n = 5), and 13 typically developing control adolescents (1 female) participated in this study. Functional MRI was performed using an n-back task and in resting state. Results: The analysis of the behavioral data revealed deficits in working memory performance in ASD, but only when tested to the limit. Adolescents with ASD showed lower binary global efficiency in the working memory network than the control group with n-back and resting state data. This correlated with diagnostic scores for total problems, reciprocity, and language. Conclusion: Adolescent with higher functioning autism have difficulty with the working memory system, which is typically compensated. Functional MRI markers of brain network organization in ASD are related to characteristics of autism as represented in diagnostic scores. Therefore, functional MRI provides neuronal correlates for memory difficulties in adolescents with ASD