Using Dynamic Assessment to Assess Syntax with Five-year-olds Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the readiness of 5-year-old children to produce semantic-syntactic structures via a graphic symbol-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device during a dynamic assessment (DA) task and whether performance during DA was predictive of performance on a subsequent experimental task. Method: This study included four 5-year old children who demonstrated normal receptive language and limited speech intelligibility. The participants received DA, using a graduated prompting framework, for 6 semantic-syntactic targets followed by a static experimental task. Measures included amount of support required to produce the targets, modifiability within a DA session, and predictive validity of DA. Results: DA tasks revealed that participants accurately produced target structures with varying amounts of support. In general, participants were successful across all targets with minimal-to-moderate supports. Results indicated that modifiability within DA sessions was evident for some participants, and partial support was provided for the measures of predictive validity. Conclusions: Findings indicated that DA was a viable measure of preschool childrens ability to sequence simple, rule-based messages via aided AAC. Production of multi-symbol messages is a critical step to achieving generative language abilities in children who use AAC. Thus, the findings of this study have significant implications for improving the language outcomes of this population. Further implications and theoretical and clinical applications are discussed.\u2

Language Switching using Augmentative and Alternative Communication: An Investigation of Spanish-English Bilingual Children with and without Language Impairments

Children with severe speech and language impairments may rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for a variety of communicative functions. Despite the availability of bilingual AAC devices that allow the user to communicate in more than one language and alternate between languages, little research has addressed assessment and intervention concerns for bilingual children who use AAC. This study investigated the ability of bilingual children with and without language impairments to discriminate between languages using a bilingual AAC app during a cued language switching task. Participants included 58 English-Spanish bilingual children ages 4;0 – 6;11 (23 with language impairments). Children received standardized language assessments in English and Spanish as well as assessment of nonverbal IQ and processing speed. All participants completed an experimental language switching task in which they were asked to locate images of vocabulary words in Spanish and English using a Spanish and English speech-generating device (SGD). Parents of child participants completed a demographic information form and participated in an interview about their child’s language environments. Results of a series of hierarchical linear regressions indicated that when controlling for age, processing speed significantly predicted children’s ability on the experimental language switching task. Nonparametric tests showed no evidence of increased response times on trials where participants were required to switch between languages compared to trials where they did not switch. Further analysis indicated that language dominance, nonverbal IQ, and language abilities were not significant predictors of bilingual language switching ability using AAC. Results from this study indicated that in addition to age, processing speed ability may be an important predictor of children’s ability to language switch using AAC. This study contributes to the understanding of how young bilingual children conceptualize and discriminate between language systems. This research paves the way for further assessment and intervention studies to investigate how best to support bilingual children with language impairments and developmental disabilities who may benefit from AAC

Vertue Vanish\u27d : Censorship of Early English Women Dramatists.

This dissertation traces the impact of censorship on women dramatists from the Renaissance through the late eighteenth century, focusing on the plays of Elizabeth Cary, Aphra Behn, Mary Pix, and Susanna Centlivre. Several types of censorship--politica1, religious, and moral--affected the work of these playwrights, and several agencies--the Master of Revels, the audience, the theatre manager, and the prompter--were involved in censorship of their works. When early modern women wrote for the stage, they confronted the strictures against publication and public exposure. The four playwrights discussed here used a combination of self-censorship and subversive strategies in their work. Self-censorship was particularly significant for Elizabeth Cary, the first Englishwoman to write and publish an original full-length play. Her closet drama, The Tragedie of Mariam (1613), demonstrates the extent to which she had internalized Renaissance gender paradigms but was able to utilize them to make a statement about women\u27s subjectivity. The Master of Revels, who became an important censoring agent for women in the Restoration and eighteenth century, had a direct effect on a promptbook for the revival of Aphra Behn\u27s The Rover. Behn\u27s censored play underwent substantial cuts and emendations in material related to political, religious, and gender issues. In the 1690s, the audience became a strong censoring agent, particularly as the movement for stage reform coincided with the appearance of new women playwrights, including Mary Pix. Although her efforts were lampooned in The Female Wits, Pix demonstrated the ability to please the changing audience in a promptbook for a 1707 production of The Spanish Wives. Efforts to reform the stage culminated in the late 1700s when theatre managers took over the censoring role. A promptbook for David Garrick\u27s production of Susanna Centlivre\u27s The Wonder demonstrates that one hundred and fifty years after Englishwomen began to write for the stage, gender was still an important factor in alteration of their works. Cary, Behn, Pix, and Centlivre persevered despite efforts to silence their voices and helped dispel the idea that when women wrote, their vertue vanish\u27d.

Supporting early communication skills of children with developmental disorders in South Africa : caregiver and clinician perspectives about mobile health applications

Using a mobile health application (i.e., app) to empower primary caregivers of young children with developmental disorders in low- and middle-income countries is opening up new avenues for early childhood intervention. Thirteen caregivers and 10 speech-language pathologists participated in 3 focus groups to explore their perspectives about the potential benefits and suitability of a mobile health app as part of intervention, its features, the likelihood of using and recommending it, as well as potential pitfalls to be avoided. Both participant groups were generally positive, although there was little overlap between their responses. Caregivers generally focused on increased knowledge and skills (of all family members), as well as on empowerment and reduced costs. Speech-language pathologists, on the other hand, focused on how current service delivery would be enriched by increasing the dosage of therapy and enhancing parental cooperation. They also expected that the reach of service delivery would be expanded as more children and caregivers could potentially benefit. Although technology (i.e., mobile apps) could open up new possibilities for service delivery in this population, the perspectives of all stakeholder groups should be considered to ensure successful adoption of such technologies.The United States National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fogarty International Center (FIC) mhealth initiative to Georgia State University.http://www.iycjournal.com2021-10-01hj2020Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC

A mHealth application for the training of caregivers of children with developmental disorders in South Africa : rationale and initial piloting

BACKGROUND : Evidence-based mobile health (mHealth) interventions have been successful for an array of physical and mental health conditions. Children with developmental disorders (DD) often have secondary speech and language disorders. The lack of high-quality medical and educational services in low- and middle-income countries limits the opportunities for children with DD to succeed in life. South Africa currently offers limited access to education, social, and health services. METHODS : Twelve caregivers of twelve children with DD between the ages of 3 and 6 years who already received monthly early childhood therapy participated in this study. A mHealth app, called Nna’Le’wena, a Setswana phrase meaning “Me and You”, was designed, developed, installed, and tested on tablets. The app provided a systematic framework and guidance to the caregivers in order to use evidence-based communication interaction strategies with the children over a twelve-week period. The app could be used offline and provided audio instructions in English and Setswana, two dominant languages in South Africa. The app automatically generated log files and collected answers to weekly surveys. At the end of the study, caregivers were asked to evaluate the app by using relevant portions of the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). RESULTS : Caregivers were able to successfully interact and use the app. The app was well-received and liked by the caregivers. Caregivers listened to the instructional audios in English and Setswana during the 12-week period. They were able to provide communication opportunities to their children during daily living activities, especially during play- and mealtime activities. CONCLUSIONS : The Nna’Le’wena app was successfully deployed and used by caregivers of children with DD. mHealth solutions can be effective and are relatively affordable solutions that can enhance health care and educational delivery in different settings, including in low-and middle-income countries with limited Internet capabilities.National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health.https://mhealth.amegroups.orghj2024Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC)SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-04:Quality Educatio

Using a self-guided app to provide communication strategies for caregivers of young children with developmental disorders

One important evidence-based component of early communication interventions in high-income countries is teaching parents and other primary caregivers to provide communication opportunities in daily activities to stimulate the development of beginning communication skills. To address some of the barriers to communication interventions for children with developmental disorders (DD) in rural South Africa, we developed a prototype Web-based selfguided app for caregivers to use at home with their children with DD who were at the beginning stages of communication development. The purpose of this study is to examine how this app intervention functioned for caregivers and its secondary effects on their children. Fifty-one caregiver-child dyads were randomly assigned to either a typical care intervention group (a 30- minute hospital-based intervention once a month) or the self-guided mobile health technology (MHT) app plus the typical care intervention. We assessed both the caregivers and their children. The majority of the 27 caregiver-child dyads (81%) assigned to the app group used the app and completed a mean of 35.8 sessions across the 48 sessions (mean range = 5.08–15.75). Eighty percent of these caregivers employed the “help” function of the app (M per caregiver = 9.89). The caregivers who completed 44–48 sessions reported that more than half of the children moved from pre-symbolic forms of communication (e.g., crying) to symbolic forms of communication (e.g., words) by the end of the intervention. Compared to the typical care group, the caregivers perceived that their children's success increased even though their difficulties remained stable. The app group showed a very modest gain in expressive language while the typical care group did not. The findings suggest that the self-guided app framework shows promise as a supplement to traditional monthly speechlanguage intervention in South Africa.The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and the NIH Fogarty International Center.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17411130am2024Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC)SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Childhood deaths from external causes in Estonia, 2001–2005

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2000, the overall rate of injury deaths in children aged 0–14 was 28.7 per 100000 in Estonia, which is more than 5 times higher than the corresponding rate in neighbouring Finland. This paper describes childhood injury mortality in Estonia by cause and age groups, and validates registration of these deaths in the Statistical Office of Estonia against the autopsy data.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data on causes of all child deaths in Estonia in 2001–2005 were abstracted from the autopsy protocols at the Estonian Bureau of Forensic Medicine. Average annual mortality rates per 100,000 were calculated. Coverage (proportion of the reported injury deaths from the total number of injury deaths) and accuracy (proportion of correctly classified injury deaths) of the registration of causes of death in Statistical Office of Estonia were assessed by comparing the Statistical Office of Estonia data with the data from Estonian Bureau of Forensic Medicine.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Average annual mortality from external causes in 0–14 years-old children in Estonia was 19.1 per 100,000. Asphyxia and transport accidents were the major killers followed by poisoning and suicides. Relative contribution of these causes varied greatly between age groups. Intent of death was unknown for more than 10% of injury deaths. Coverage and accuracy of registration of injury deaths by Statistical Office of Estonia were 91.5% and 95.3%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Childhood mortality from injuries in Estonia is among the highest in the EU. The number of injury deaths in Statistical Office of Estonia is slightly underestimated mostly due to misclassification for deaths from diseases. Accuracy of the Statistical Office of Estonia data was high with some underestimation of intentional deaths. Moreover, high proportion of death with unknown intent suggests underestimation of intentional deaths.</p> <p>Reduction of injury deaths should be given a high priority in Estonia. More information on circumstances around death is needed to enable establishing the intent of death.</p

Parent-implemented augmented communication intervention and young children with Down syndrome: an exploratory report

IntroductionYoung children with Down syndrome (DS) present with speech and language impairments very early in childhood. Historically, early language intervention for children with DS included manual signs, though recently there has been an interest in the use of speech-generating devices (SGDs). This paper examines the language and communication performance of young children with DS who participated in parent-implemented communication interventions that included SGDs. Specifically, we compared the functional vocabulary usage and communication interaction skills of children with DS who received augmented communication interventions (AC) that included an SGD with those children with DS who received spoken communication intervention (SC).MethodsTwenty-nine children with DS participated in this secondary data analysis. These children were part of one of two longitudinal RCT studies investigating the effectiveness of parent-implemented augmented communication interventions in a larger sample of 109 children with severe communication and language impairments.ResultsThere were significant differences between children with DS in the AC and SC groups in terms of the number and proportion of functional vocabulary targets used and the total vocabulary targets provided during the intervention at sessions 18 (lab)and 24 (home).DiscussionOverall, the AC interventions provided the children with a way to communicate via an SGD with visual-graphic symbols and speech output, while the children in the SC intervention were focused on producing spoken words. The AC interventions did not hinder the children’s spoken vocabulary development. Augmented communication intervention can facilitate the communication abilities of young children with DS as they are emerging spoken communicators

Lethality and Developmental Delay in Drosophila melanogaster Larvae after Ingestion of Selected Pseudomonas fluorescens Strains

The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a well-established model organism for probing the molecular and cellular basis of physiological and immune system responses of adults or late stage larvae to bacterial challenge. However, very little is known about the consequences of bacterial infections that occur in earlier stages of development. We have infected mid-second instar larvae with strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens to determine how infection alters the ability of larvae to survive and complete development.We mimicked natural routes of infection using a non-invasive feeding procedure to study the toxicity of the three sequenced P. fluorescens strains (Pf0-1, SBW25, and Pf-5) to Drosophila melanogaster. Larvae fed with the three strains of P. fluorescens showed distinct differences in developmental trajectory and survival. Treatment with SBW25 caused a subset of insects to die concomitant with a systemic melanization reaction at larval, pupal or adult stages. Larvae fed with Pf-5 died in a dose-dependent manner with adult survivors showing eye and wing morphological defects. In addition, larvae in the Pf-5 treatment groups showed a dose-dependent delay in the onset of metamorphosis relative to control-, Pf0-1-, and SBW25-treated larvae. A functional gacA gene is required for the toxic properties of wild-type Pf-5 bacteria.These experiments are the first to demonstrate that ingestion of P. fluorescens bacteria by D. melanogaster larvae causes both lethal and non-lethal phenotypes, including delay in the onset of metamorphosis and morphological defects in surviving adult flies, which can be decoupled

The Seasonal-to-Multiyear Large Ensemble (SMYLE) prediction system using the Community Earth System Model version 2

The potential for multiyear prediction of impactful Earth system change remains relatively underexplored compared to shorter (subseasonal to seasonal) and longer (decadal) timescales. In this study, we introduce a new initialized prediction system using the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) that is specifically designed to probe potential and actual prediction skill at lead times ranging from 1 month out to 2 years. The Seasonal-to-Multiyear Large Ensemble (SMYLE) consists of a collection of 2-year-long hindcast simulations, with four initializations per year from 1970 to 2019 and an ensemble size of 20. A full suite of output is available for exploring near-term predictability of all Earth system components represented in CESM2. We show that SMYLE skill for El Ni&ntilde;o&ndash;Southern Oscillation is competitive with other prominent seasonal prediction systems, with correlations exceeding 0.5 beyond a lead time of 12 months. A broad overview of prediction skill reveals varying degrees of potential for useful multiyear predictions of seasonal anomalies in the atmosphere, ocean, land, and sea ice. The SMYLE dataset, experimental design, model, initial conditions, and associated analysis tools are all publicly available, providing a foundation for research on multiyear prediction of environmental change by the wider community. &nbsp;</p