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To explore the characteristics and associated factors of oromotor dysfunction in minimally verbal children with cerebral palsy (CP) aged five to six years, recruited from a population-based registry. Twenty children with CP who were minimally verbal completed a standardised, observational oromotor assessment. Linear regression analyses examined the relationship between oromotor dysfunction and potential associated factors (e.g., fine and gross motor function, communication, and feeding). Oromotor dysfunction affected every participant and was identified in all structures examined (i.e., face, jaw, lips, and tongue). Oromotor movements showed little dissociation among jaw, lip, and tongue movements. Oromotor dysfunction was univariately associated with the Manual Ability Classification System levels IV–V (p = 0.001), reduced communication skills (p = 0.002), and a prolonged eating duration (>45 min) (p = 0.006), even when non-verbal cognition served as a covariate. Oromotor dysfunction was highly prevalent in our sample of minimally verbal children with CP, having significant functional impacts on feeding and communication. Findings suggest that fine motor function (i.e., Manual Ability Classification System levels IV–V) is a stronger predictor than gross motor function for identifying children with CP who are minimally verbal and at risk of oromotor dysfunction. Oromotor dysfunction was highly prevalent in our sample of minimally verbal children with cerebral palsy. Severe fine motor impairment strongly predicted oromotor dysfunction, indicating that fine motor function may provide an early indicator of impaired oromotor function for this clinical population. Robust, standardised measures of motor speech-related oromotor development suitable for children with cerebral palsy who are minimally verbal are lacking. Until such a measure is developed, formal evaluation may be achieved via oral motor assessments standardised for typically developing children, with the caveat one must interpret the results with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare language, speech, and voice of children born preterm and at term, and determine relevant predictors of outcome.Method: Three hundred infants (150 males, 150 females; 149 born at <30wks' gestation, 151 term-born) were prospectively recruited at birth from the Royal Women's Hospital. We administered the Preschool Language Scales, Fifth Edition, Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology, Grade Roughness Breathiness Asthenia Strain Scale, and Pediatric Voice Handicap Index at 3 years, and compared groups. We examined hypothesized predictors in children born preterm: gestational age at birth, birthweight, sex, chronic lung disease, high social risk, multilingualism, neurodevelopmental diagnosis, and oromotor feeding.Results: Children born preterm had poorer language than children born at term (coefficient -5.43). Speech and voice were similar between groups (coefficients -0.70 to 1.63). Chronic lung disease predicted voice (coefficient 6.05); male sex (coefficients 4.54-6.18), high social risk (coefficient -6.02 to -9.30), and neurodevelopmental diagnosis (coefficients -16.42 to -20.61) predicted language.Interpretation: Children born before 30 weeks' gestation had poorer language than children born at term. Children born preterm with neurodevelopmental disabilities or high social risk experience poorer language outcomes, and would benefit from enrichment of their language environment.What This Paper Adds: Speech and voice outcomes were similar between children born preterm and at term. Male sex, high social risk, and neurodevelopmental diagnosis predicted language outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore parents’ views of the activities and participation of children with cerebral palsy (CP) with a range of communicative abilities and the factors (personal and environmental) that influenced these.Methods: Thirteen parents of children with CP aged 4—9 years participated in semi—structured individual interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Identified codes and themes were mapped to the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health — Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY).Results: Parents’ responses reflected all ICF-CY domains comprising activity, participation and environmental factors. Codes were primarily mapped to the domainslearning and applying knowledge, communication, mobilityandinterpersonal interactions and relationships. Key barriers identified included aspects of parents’ own interactions with their child (e.g. not offering choices), unfamiliar people and settings, negative attitudes of others and children’s frustration. Facilitators included support received from the child’s family and school, being amongst children, having a familiar routine and the child’s positive disposition.Conclusions: Despite the barriers experienced, children participated in a range of activities. Parents placed importance on communication and its influence on children’s independence, behaviour and relationships. Barriers and facilitators identified highlight aspects of the environment that could be modified through intervention to enhance communication and participation.Implications for RehabilitationChildren’s activities and participation were largely related to early learning tasks (e.g. literacy), communication, mobility and interactions.Intervention aimed at improving activities and participation may address the various child, impairment, social and environment factors identified here as impacting on activities and participation (e.g. the child’s personal characteristics, communication and physical impairments, the support and attitudes of others and the familiarity of the environment).Therapists will need to consider (and manage) the potential negative impact communication deficits may have on children’s behaviour, independence and social skills which may in turn detrimentally impact on activity and participation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study used a population-based sample of children with cerebral palsy (CP) to estimate the prevalence of motor speech impairment and its association with activity and participation. A sample of 79 Victorian children aged 4 years 11 months to 6 years 5 months was recruited through the Victorian CP Register. The presence of motor speech impairment was recorded using the Viking Speech Scale (VSS). Activity and participation outcomes included speech intelligibility (the National Technical Institute for the Deaf rating scale, NTID), the Functional Communication Classification System (FCCS) and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS). A parent completed rating scale was used to examine the association between motor speech impairment and participation. Ninety per cent (71/79) of children demonstrated a motor speech impairment. Strong associations were found between the VSS and NTID (< .001), CFCS (< .001), and FCCS levels (<.001). VSS levels III-IV were significantly associated with restrictions in home, school, and community-based participation as perceived by parents. Although some diversity in activity and participation outcomes was observed within specific VSS levels, the results of this study suggested that children with mild motor speech impairments are more likely to demonstrate superior activity and participation outcomes compared to children with moderate or severe deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The communication profile in Klinefelter syndrome is variable. • Language, literacy and social-pragmatic deficits are common. • More notable deficits in older boys, relating to increased academic/social demands. • Persistent phonological errors in speech production is a novel finding. Abstract Background Speech and language deficits are frequent in males with Klinefelter syndrome (KS), yet the research base is slim and specific strengths and deficits in communication have not been well characterised. Nor have studies examined communication abilities across a wide age-range from infancy to adolescence. Objective To characterise communication in children and adolescents with KS. Method Twenty-six males, aged 1;1–17;4 years, took part in the study. Oromotor, speech, language, literacy and pragmatic abilities were assessed. Results Communication impairment was seen in 92% of cases (24/26), with salient findings being impairments in social-pragmatic language (15/18; 83%), language-memory (12/15; 80%) and literacy (13/17; 76%). Mild to severe receptive and expressive language deficits were common (16/23; 70%), although performance was varied across linguistic domains of semantics, syntax, and morphology. Oromotor impairment (21/21; 100%) and speech impairments were evident from preschool through to adolescence. Whilst speech was highly intelligible (22/26; 85%), articulation errors (12/26; 46%), phonological delay (12/26; 46%), phonological disorder (5/26; 19%) and dysarthria (2/23 8.7%) were observed. Other atypical, yet mild, speech features were noted such as hyponasality (16/23; 70%). Conclusions Language, literacy and social-pragmatic deficits are common in KS. Data suggested a trend for more notable deficits with age and increasing academic and social demands. We added novel data on the nature of speech production deficits, including persistent phonological errors in a number of cases. Earlier detection and intervention of phonological errors may reduce the risk for later language and literacy challenges and optimise academic, and ultimately social and behavioural difficulties later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]