1/5. The use of a digital voice output device to facilitate language development in a child with developmental apraxia of speech: a case study.PURPOSE: The study aimed at describing the language and communication abilities of a child diagnosed with Developmental Apraxia of speech (DAS), who used a Macaw Digital voice output device. METHOD: This case study describes the training of a mother in the use of a Macaw digital voice output device to give her child with DAS access to higher levels of language functioning. It also provides longitudinal information pertaining to the child's school progress in the three years following the implementation of the device. RESULTS: Results indicate that the use of a digital device is useful in facilitating communication and language development in a young child with DAS. Specific evidence of an increase in the cognitive complexity of questions directed at the child is provided, as well as an increase in the number of questions directed to the child. Regarding the child's responses, it was noted that appropriate answers increased, as did the number of communication modalities and communication attempts. Longitudinal data indicates that the child was able to maintain these positive impacts. CONCLUSIONS: Digital voice output devices can be used as a method to facilitate higher cognitive functioning and has various positive impacts on the functioning of a child with DAS. These devices need to be considered as a tool to facilitate the development of communication and speech development for this population.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = apraxia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/5. A family with a grand-maternally derived interstitial duplication of proximal 15q.About 1% of individuals with autism or types of pervasive developmental disorder have a duplication of the 15q11-q13 region. These abnormalities can be detected by routine G-banded chromosome study, showing an extra marker chromosome, or demonstrated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, revealing an interstitial duplication. We report here the molecular, cytogenetic, clinical and neuropsychiatric evaluations of a family in whom 3 of 4 siblings inherited an interstitial duplication of 15q11-q13. This duplication was inherited from their mother who also had a maternally derived duplication. Affected family members had apraxia of speech, phonological awareness deficits, developmental language disorder, dyslexia, as well as limb apraxia but did not have any dysmorphic clinical features. The observations in this family suggest that the phenotypic manifestations of proximal 15q duplications may also involve language-based learning disabilities.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = apraxia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/5. Concurrence of congenital ocular motor apraxia and other motor problems: an expanded syndrome.The records of all cases of congenital ocular motor apraxia diagnosed by the ophthalmology Department at the Children's Hospital, boston, over the past 25 years were reviewed to ascertain other problems with motor organization. There were eight boys and two girls, ranging in age from eight months to 2 1/2 years at diagnosis. Eight of the 10 had evidence of oral motor planning problems which significantly affected their speech output. Five had evidence of awkwardness or clumsiness, suggesting difficulties with gross motor organization as well. This concurrence of motor planning problems in at least two spheres, ocular motor and oral motor, suggests more general difficulties with motor organization in this syndrome. In all cases for whom data were available the ocular motor problems resolved but oral motor problems persisted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.25keywords = apraxia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/5. Developmental dyspraxia in a family with X-linked mental retardation (Renpenning syndrome).This paper describes the existence of severe developmental speech dyspraxia in a member of a family that is typical of other reports of X-linked mental retardation without physical abnormality (Renpenning syndrome). Other family members have evidence of motor or speech dyspraxia. Other reports of X-linked mental retardation have mentioned "verbal disability", which suggests that developmental dyspraxia may be quite common in these families. Developmental dyspraxia of speech is amenable to specific types of intervention: after two years of such intervention our patient's adaptive skills reflect his normal non-verbal intellectual ability, despite persistent speech deficits. This functional improvement shows how important it is to identify dyspraxia in young children, who may otherwise be labelled mentally retarded.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 30.21452653486keywords = dyspraxia (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/5. The interaction of phonetics and phonology in developmental verbal dyspraxia: two case studies.Approaches to the treatment of developmental verbal dyspraxia based upon current theories about phonological development are explored. The author presents the concept of "bridging"; for example, making the transition from one sound to another or from one word to the next, as a reflection of the child's ability to generate hierarchical linguistic structures. The author suggests that children who have developmental dyspraxia must build phonological systems despite the fact that their ability to discover and use these hierarchical structures is impaired. Idiosyncratic patterns are expected, and should be used by the clinician to determine appropriate approaches to remediation for individual children. Case studies illustrate two children's shared difficulties in developing and using phonological hierarchies and the individual differences that provided a basis for appropriate remediation for each child.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 20.143017689906keywords = dyspraxia (Clic here for more details about this article) |