Monthly Archives: December 2010
Development of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the dichotic sentence identification test (DSI)
CONCLUSION: The compact disc with the Brazilian Portuguese version of the DSI test consisted of six tracks: calibration, practice, binaural integration, directed attention to the right and to the left ears and auditory training.
Deglutição e reflexo de tosse na doença de Parkinson
CONCLUSÃO: A deglutição foi eficaz para os alimentos nas consistências líquida e sólida em pacientes parkinsonianos nos estágios 1 a 2,5 da Escala de Estadiamento de Hoehn & Yah (1976); e na consistência pastosa em pacientes parkinsonianos nos estágios 1 a 4; o reflexo de tosse foi eficaz para alimento de consistência pastosa nos estágios de 1 a 4 da doença de Parkinson.
Meaning attribution processes of aphasic users of augmentative and alternative communication
This work focuses on the study of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in aphasia from a discursive perspective, assuming an original and fundamental character. It is of interest to investigate meaning attribution processes of non-fluent aphasic patients who use AAC through a qualitative longitudinal case report of five subjects with varied ages, linguistic deficits, and aphasia types, attended in a Speech-Language Pathology therapeutic group. Data were video-recorded from 2006 to 2008, and relevant episodes to the aims of the present investigation were analyzed. The results evidenced that AAC enables various meaning attribution processes. The subjects performed language translations, in jakobsonian terms: from symbol to word, from gesture to word, from drawing to word and the circulationbetween verbal and non-verbal systems. AAC was effective in the linguistic activities of the studied subjects, affecting the quality of their social interaction.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the rehabilitation of oropharyngeal dysphagia
The rehabilitation of oropharyngeal dysphagia has a new therapeutic tool, the neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), and the most renowned researchers have been studying the applicability and the results of this approach. The aim of this study was to present a literature review regarding the applicability of NMES in the rehabilitation of oropharyngeal dysphagia. An extensive literature review was carried out, considering the last two decades of research in the area. The review showed that there is still no consensus on the use of NMES in the rehabilitation of dysphagia. It was found that most studies described the use of NMES in isolation, did not describe the techniques associated with speech-language therapy associated to electrotherapy, and used heterogeneous samples that clustered mechanical and neurogenic oropharyngeal dysphagia. Only recently specific programs have been designed and tested in more homogeneous populations.
from Revista de Sociedade Brasileira de Fonoaudiologia
——————————————————————————–
Neuropsycholinguistic findings in Crouzon syndrome: case report
The aim of this study was to relate the neuropsycholinguistic abilities of a male child with eigth years and two months, diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome. The characterization of neropsycholinguitic abilities was based on a interdisciplinary evaluation carried out by a speech-language pathologist, a neurologist, and a psychologist. Speech-language evaluation included the assessment of communication skills, oral (phonological, syntactic, semantic and pragmatic abilities) and written language. The neuropsychological assessment used the Wechsler Scale for Children. The neurological evaluation was focused on the results of magnetic resonance imaging. The subject also carried out an audiological evaluation, which showed mild conductive hearing loss. In the oral language assessment, phonological and semantic deficits were observed. Written language performance was also below the expected for the subject’s age, characterized mainly by writing and arithmetic deficits. The neuropsychological evaluation showed normal Intellectual Quotient. The results of the magnetic resonance imaging showed structural alterations of the central nervous system. Thus, the findings evidenced oral and written language deficits, and presence of structural alterations of the central nervous system.
Nutritional status and language development in children from a public day care center
CONCLUSION: No association was observed between nutritional status and language development in the studied children. However, the indexes height-for-age and weight-for-age tended to be lower in children with language impairment.
Outpatient follow-up of a group of premature infants and the prevalence of breastfeeding at discharge and at six months: speech-language pathology contributions
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was well below the World Health Organization recommendation, which is exclusive breastfeeding until the sixth month of life.
Phonological disorder: aspects regarding production, perception and writing
CONCLUSION: Children can either use the compensatory lengthening strategy and not be aware of their own Speech Impairment, or be aware and not use the strategy. It was observed a possible relationship between awareness of their own speech impairment and writing hypothesis.
Reading scale: proposal to assess reading skills
CONCLUSION: The Reading Scale was a reliable instrument to measure the reading performance of the subjects.
Reliability of phonological transcriptions of speech samples produced by language-impared children
CONCLUSION: The reliability of phonological transcriptions of children with LI was low, and the picture-naming tasks of children who were able to produce discourse presented higher reliability.
Vocal and cervicoscapular evaluation in military wind instrumentalists
CONCLUSION: The military wind instrumentalists presented vocal and cervicoscapular alterations, and require actions to promote vocal and postural health.
Voice-related quality of life: the impact of a dysphonia according to gender, age and occupational use of voice
CONCLUSION: The self-reported impact of a vocal disorder in the quality of life was similarly noticed by men and women. The subjects aged between 20 and 29 years had different perceptions regarding the impact of dysphonia in their quality of life when compared to individuals of the other age ranges. Vocal disorders caused less impact on the quality of life of elite vocal performers.
Systematic review: Interventions to reduce falls in community-dwelling older people
The authors conclude that current evidence shows that clinical interventions including exercise or physical therapy, and vitamin D supplementation, can reduce the risk of falls in community-dwelling older people and can be implemented in primary care. Some multi-factorial assessment and management interventions may also be helpful. The draft guideline based on this review will be published shortly for comment on the USPSTF website (www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/tfcomment.htm) and once comments have been incorporated will be published in full.
The Impact of a Reading Intervention for Low-Literate Adult ESL Learners
The report, The Impact of a Reading Intervention for Low-Literate Adult ESL Learners, uses data collected from 1,137 adult ESL learners in two cohorts across ten sites in four states. Adult ESL teachers and learners were assigned by lottery to either classrooms using the basal reader Sam and Pat, Volume I , or classrooms using the site’s usual curriculum.
from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences
COMD News 