Language development - for all? : A study of how teaching methods in the educational work can affect language development for children with deviant language development

Studiens syfte var att undersöka vilka metoder som används i det didaktiska arbetet med barns språkutveckling i förskola och skola, vilka metoder som rekommenderas för barn med avvikande språkutveckling, samt hur arbetet med språkutveckling kan läggas upp i en barngrupp. Metoden som användes var en kvalitativ forskningsansats där intervjuer gjordes med sex verksamma pedagoger. Urvalet av informanter gjordes med utgångspunkt i deras arbetsuppgifter; tre specialpedagoger, en logoped och två pedagoger verksamma i förskoleklass. De viktigaste resultaten som framkom var vikten av att pedagoger som arbetar med barns språkutveckling inte bara har kunskap om metoderna för att arbeta med denna, utan att de även har kunskap om hur barn utvecklar språk. De måste dessutom känna till tidiga tecken på avvikande språkutveckling, samt på vilka sätt de kan stödja barn i behov av särskilt stöd för att tidigt sätta in rätt insatser

Clinical characteristics, long-term complications and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and young adults treated for low-grade astrocytoma in the posterior fossa in childhood

Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common brain tumour in childhood but knowledge concerning its long-term outcome is sparse. The aim of the study was to investigate if children treated for low-grade pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa had complications affecting physical and psychological health, cognitive functions, learning difficulties and HRQoL. A descriptive single-centre study, where 22 children and young adults out of 27 eligible patients (81%) treated for pilocytic astrocytoma, with a mean follow-up time of 12.4 years (5-19 years) participated (14 adults, two by telephone interviews and eight children). The study included a review of medical records, an interview, neurological investigation, screening tools for psychiatric symptoms (Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories and Beck Youth Inventory Scales) and HRQoL measures (RAND-36). Motor complications were most common, reported in 12 patients and mainly affecting fine-motor skills. Seven patients reported cognitive difficulties affecting performance in school. Educational support was given in the period immediately after treatment but not after primary school. None had elevated levels of psychiatric symptoms and the level of HRQoL as well as their psychosocial and educational situation was in correspondence with Swedish norms. The HRQoL score for vitality (VT) almost reached statistical significance. The long-term functional outcome for children treated for low-grade astrocytoma is favourable. However, some patients report neurological complications and learning difficulties, which are unmet in school. Therefore, there is a need to identify those who need more thorough medical and cognitive follow-up programmes including interventions in school

Motor performance after treatment of pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa in childhood

 Background:  Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common brain tumour type in childhood located in the posterior fossa, and treated mainly with surgery. These tumours have low mortality, but knowledge concerning its long-term outcome is sparse.  Aims:  The aim was to investigate if patients treated for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa had motor complications, including balance, motor and process skills.  Methods and results:  This descriptive single-centre study includes eight children and 12 adults, treated for pilocytic astrocytoma as children. Motor performance was investigated with Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, and dynamic balance with the mini-balance evaluation systems test. Physiological cost index, six-minute walk test, hand grip strength and assessment of motor and process skills were also evaluated. Ten patients reported motor difficulties, mainly from the upper limbs. The motor performance test showed results within normal limits except for manual dexterity, which was significantly below mean (p = .008). In the dynamic balance test patients had significantly lower results compared with controls (p = .036). Physiological cost index, six-minute walk tests and hand grip strength showed results within normal limits. In the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills, patients over 16 years had significantly lower results compared with test norms for motor activities of daily living (ADL) and 30% of all patients scored below the cut-off level for difficulties with motor skills.  Conclusions:  Motor performance for patients treated for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa in childhood is satisfactory but some patients display difficulties with balance, manual dexterity and ADL motor skills. Thus, it is important to identify those in need of motor follow-up and training

Cognitive, language, and school performance in children and young adults treated for low-grade astrocytoma in the posterior fossa in childhood

Background Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common brain tumour type in childhood located in the posterior fossa, and treated mainly with surgery. These tumours have low mortality, but knowledge concerning its long-term outcome is sparse. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate whether children treated for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa had late complications affecting cognition, language and learning. Methods This descriptive single-centre study includes eight children and 12 adults treated as children for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa, with a mean follow-up time of 12.4 (range 5–19) years. Well-established tests of intelligence, executive, language and academic function were used. Results Intelligence tests showed average results compared with norms. Five patients scored <−1 SD (70–84) and 3 low average (85–92) on full scale IQ. The patients scored average on subtests regarding executive function, except for significantly lower results in inhibition/switching (p = .004). In Rey complex figure test half of the patients scored below −1 SD. Language tests were normal except for significantly lower results in naming ability (p = .049) and in inference (p = .046). In academic tests, results were average, except for significantly lower results in reading speed (p = .024). Patients with learning difficulties performed worse in the tests. Conclusions The patients' functional outcome was favourable but, a not-negligible part of the patients displayed neurocognitive difficulties as revealed by extensive neuro-cognitive and academic testing. Thus, it is important to identify those in need of more thorough cognitive and pedagogic follow-up programmes, including school interventions