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Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022Currently, not all children that need speech therapy have access to a therapist. With the current international shortage of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), there is... (Review)
Review
Currently, not all children that need speech therapy have access to a therapist. With the current international shortage of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), there is a demand for online tools to support SLPs with their daily tasks. Several online speech therapy (OST) systems have been designed and proposed in the literature; however, the implementation of these systems is lacking. The technical knowledge that is needed to use these programs is a challenge for SLPs. There has been limited effort to systematically identify, analyze and report the findings of prior studies. We provide the results of an extensive literature review of OST systems for childhood speech communication disorders. We systematically review OST systems that can be used in clinical settings or from home as part of a treatment program for children with speech communication disorders. Our search strategy found 4481 papers, of which 35 were identified as focusing on speech therapy programs for speech communication disorders. The features of these programs were examined, and the main findings are extracted and presented. Our analysis indicates that most systems which are designed mainly to support the SLPs adopt and use supervised machine learning approaches that are either desktop-based or mobile-phone-based applications. Our findings reveal that speech therapy systems can provide important benefits for childhood speech. A collaboration between computer programmers and SLPs can contribute to implementing useful automated programs, leading to more children having access to good speech therapy.
Topics: Child; Humans; Speech; Speech Therapy; Speech-Language Pathology; Communication Disorders; Speech Disorders
PubMed: 36560082
DOI: 10.3390/s22249713 -
Neurological Sciences : Official... May 2021The insular cortex serves a wide variety of functions in humans, ranging from sensory and affective processing to high-level cognition. Hence, insular dysfunction may... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The insular cortex serves a wide variety of functions in humans, ranging from sensory and affective processing to high-level cognition. Hence, insular dysfunction may result in several different presentations. Ischemic strokes limited to the insular territory are rare and deserve a better characterization, to be quickly recognized and to receive the appropriate treatment (e.g. thrombolysis).
METHODS
We reviewed studies on patients with a first-ever acute stroke restricted to the insula. We searched in the Medline database the keywords "insular stroke" and "insular infarction", to identify previously published cases. Afterwards, the results were divided depending on the specific insular region affected by the stroke: anterior insular cortex (AIC), posterior insular cortex (PIC) or total insula cortex (TIC). Finally, a review of the clinical correlates associated with each region was performed.
RESULTS
We identified 25 reports including a total of 49 patients (59.7 ± 15.5 years, 48% male) from systematic review of the literature. The most common clinical phenotypes were motor and somatosensory deficits, dysarthria, aphasia and a vestibular-like syndrome. Atypical presentations were also common and included dysphagia, awareness deficits, gustatory disturbances, dysautonomia, neuropsychiatric or auditory disturbances and headache.
CONCLUSIONS
The clinical presentation of insular strokes is heterogeneous; however, an insular stroke should be suspected when vestibular-like, somatosensory, speech or language disturbances are combined in the same patient. Further studies are needed to improve our understanding of more atypical presentations.
Topics: Aphasia; Cerebral Cortex; Dysarthria; Female; Humans; Male; Speech; Stroke
PubMed: 33575921
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05109-1 -
PloS One 2018What are the parenting behaviors that shape child compliance? Most research on parent-child interactions relies on correlational research or evaluations of "package... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
What are the parenting behaviors that shape child compliance? Most research on parent-child interactions relies on correlational research or evaluations of "package deal" interventions that manipulate many aspects of parenting at the same time. Neither approach allows for identifying the specific parenting behaviors that shape child compliance. To overcome this, we systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed available evidence on the effects of experimentally manipulated, discrete parenting behaviors-a niche in parent-child interaction research that contributes unique information on the specific parenting behaviors that shape child behavior.
METHODS
We identified studies by systematically searching databases and through contacting experts. Nineteen studies (75 effect sizes) on four discrete parenting behaviors were included: praise, verbal reprimands, time-out, and ignore. In multilevel models, we tested for each parenting behavior whether it increased child compliance, including both observed and parent-reported measures of child compliance.
RESULTS
Providing "time-out" for noncompliance robustly increased both observed and parent-reported child compliance (ds = 0.84-1.72; 95% CI 0.30 to 2.54). The same holds for briefly ignoring the child after non-compliance (ds = 0.36-1.77; 95% CI 0.04 to 2.90). When observed and parent-reported outcomes were combined, but not when they were examined separately, verbal reprimands also increased child compliance (d = 0.72; 95% CI 0.26 to 1.19). Praise did not increase child compliance (ds = -0.27-1.19; 95% CI -2.04 to 1.59).
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that of the discrete parenting behaviors that are experimentally studied in multiple trials, especially time-out and ignore, and to some extent verbal reprimands, shape child compliance.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child Behavior; Child Rearing; Child, Preschool; Cooperative Behavior; Female; Humans; Male; Multilevel Analysis; Parent-Child Relations; Parenting
PubMed: 30289928
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204929 -
International Journal of Pediatric... May 2021Due to the lockdown and quarantines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to study and use telepractice for providing speech pathology interventions for children... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Due to the lockdown and quarantines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to study and use telepractice for providing speech pathology interventions for children with cleft palate has arisen.
OBJECTIVE
To carry out a systematic review of the use of telepractice during the COVID-19 pandemic for providing speech pathology interventions for Spanish-speaking children with cleft palate.
METHODS
In July and August 2020, the authors searched the electronic databases Medline, LILACS, SciELO, and the Cochrane Library using the following keywords in English (MeSH): Cleft palate combined with Early intervention, Speech therapy, Rehabilitation of speech and language disorders, Speech production measurement, Speech articulation tests and Telemedicine. Original articles were selected and analyzed, complemented by an analysis of flowcharts and recommendations by the GES Clinical Guide of Cleft Lip and Palate of Chile's Government and the authors' expert opinions.
RESULTS
A total of 2680 articles were retrieved, of which 23 were critically analyzed and used to adapt the early stimulation, evaluation, and treatment of children with CP to speech therapy telepractice at the Gantz Foundation, a Hospital in Santiago de Chile.
LIMITATIONS
Only three researchers carried out a quick review, which limited the depth of individual analysis of the studies included. Also, the suggestions and material presented should be evaluated in future investigations.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review provides useful guidelines for providing speech pathology interventions through telepractice for children with cleft palate. Audiovisual materials seem to be extremely useful for families receiving the interventions. The use of interactive videos for Spanish-speaking children and educational videos for parents is manifest.
Topics: COVID-19; Child; Chile; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Communicable Disease Control; Humans; Pandemics; Speech; Speech-Language Pathology; Telemedicine
PubMed: 33862334
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2021.110700 -
International Journal of Public Health 2021Studies of storytelling (ST) used as a research tool to extract information and/or as an intervention to effect change in the public knowledge, attitudes, and...
Studies of storytelling (ST) used as a research tool to extract information and/or as an intervention to effect change in the public knowledge, attitudes, and behavior/practice (KAB/P) were sought and analyzed. Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, Art and Humanities database, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched, and a basic and broad quantitative analysis was performed, followed by an in-depth narrative synthesis of studies on carefully selected topics. From this search, 3,077 studies were identified. 145 studies entered quantitative analysis [cancer and cancer screening (32/145), HIV (32/145), mental health (10/145), vaccination (8/145), and climate change (3/145)]. Ten studies entered final analysis [HIV/AIDs (5), climate change (1), sexual health (3), and croup (1)]. ST techniques included digital ST (DST), written ST, verbal ST, and use of professional writers. Of the ten studies, seven used ST to change KAB/P; the remainder used ST to extract insights. Follow-up and evaluation were very limited. ST reveals insights and serves as an intervention in public health. Benefits of ST largely outweigh the limitations, but more follow-up/evaluation is needed. ST should play a more significant role in tackling public health issues. CRD42019124704.
Topics: Humans; Narration; Public Health; Research Design
PubMed: 34795554
DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2021.1604262 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2021Cyberbullying is well-recognized as a severe public health issue which affects both adolescents and children. Most extant studies have focused on national and regional...
Cyberbullying is well-recognized as a severe public health issue which affects both adolescents and children. Most extant studies have focused on national and regional effects of cyberbullying, with few examining the global perspective of cyberbullying. This systematic review comprehensively examines the global situation, risk factors, and preventive measures taken worldwide to fight cyberbullying among adolescents and children. A systematic review of available literature was completed following PRISMA guidelines using the search themes "cyberbullying" and "adolescent or children"; the time frame was from January 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2019. Eight academic databases pertaining to public health, and communication and psychology were consulted, namely: Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, ProQuest, Communication & Mass Media Complete, CINAHL, and PsycArticles. Additional records identified through other sources included the references of reviews and two websites, Cyberbullying Research Center and United Nations Children's Fund. A total of 63 studies out of 2070 were included in our final review focusing on cyberbullying prevalence and risk factors. The prevalence rates of cyberbullying preparation ranged from 6.0 to 46.3%, while the rates of cyberbullying victimization ranged from 13.99 to 57.5%, based on 63 references. Verbal violence was the most common type of cyberbullying. Fourteen risk factors and three protective factors were revealed in this study. At the personal level, variables associated with cyberbullying including age, gender, online behavior, race, health condition, past experience of victimization, and impulsiveness were reviewed as risk factors. Likewise, at the situational level, parent-child relationship, interpersonal relationships, and geographical location were also reviewed in relation to cyberbullying. As for protective factors, empathy and emotional intelligence, parent-child relationship, and school climate were frequently mentioned. The prevalence rate of cyberbullying has increased significantly in the observed 5-year period, and it is imperative that researchers from low and middle income countries focus sufficient attention on cyberbullying of children and adolescents. Despite a lack of scientific intervention research on cyberbullying, the review also identified several promising strategies for its prevention from the perspectives of youths, parents and schools. More research on cyberbullying is needed, especially on the issue of cross-national cyberbullying. International cooperation, multi-pronged and systematic approaches are highly encouraged to deal with cyberbullying.
Topics: Adolescent; Bullying; Child; Crime Victims; Cyberbullying; Humans; Risk Factors; Schools
PubMed: 33791270
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.634909 -
The British Journal of Oral &... Jan 2024This review provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on velopharyngeal insufficiency, associated anomalies, and speech/language impairment in patients with... (Review)
Review
This review provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on velopharyngeal insufficiency, associated anomalies, and speech/language impairment in patients with craniofacial microsomia (CFM). A systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify records on VPI and speech impairment in CFM from their inception until September 2022 within the databases Embase, PubMed, MEDLINE, Ovid, CINAHL EBSCO, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. Seventeen articles were included, analysing 1,253 patients. Velopharyngeal insufficiency results in hypernasality can lead to speech impairment. The reported prevalence of both velopharyngeal insufficiency and hypernasality ranged between 12.5% and 55%, while the reported prevalence of speech impairment in patients with CFM varied between 35.4% and 74%. Language problems were reported in 37% to 50% of patients. Speech therapy was documented in 45.5% to 59.6% of patients, while surgical treatment for velopharyngeal insufficiency consisted of pharyngeal flap surgery or pharyngoplasty and was reported in 31.6% to 100%. Cleft lip and/or palate was reported in 10% to 100% of patients with CFM; these patients were found to have worse speech results than those without cleft lip and/or palate. No consensus was found on patient characteristics associated with an increased risk of velopharyngeal insufficiency and speech/language impairment. Although velopharyngeal insufficiency is a less commonly reported characteristic of CFM than other malformations, it can cause speech impairment, which may contribute to delayed language development in patients with CFM. Therefore, timely recognition and treatment of speech impairment is essential.
Topics: Humans; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Goldenhar Syndrome; Language Development Disorders; Retrospective Studies; Speech; Speech Disorders; Treatment Outcome; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency
PubMed: 38057178
DOI: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2023.09.008 -
Molecular Psychiatry Sep 2021The burden of large and rare copy number genetic variants (CNVs) as well as certain specific CNVs increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Several cognitive... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The burden of large and rare copy number genetic variants (CNVs) as well as certain specific CNVs increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Several cognitive measures are purported schizophrenia endophenotypes and may represent an intermediate point between genetics and the illness. This paper investigates the influence of CNVs on cognition. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature exploring the effect of CNV burden on general intelligence. We included ten primary studies with a total of 18,847 participants and found no evidence of association. In a new psychosis family study, we investigated the effects of CNVs on specific cognitive abilities. We examined the burden of large and rare CNVs (>200 kb, <1% MAF) as well as known schizophrenia-associated CNVs in patients with psychotic disorders, their unaffected relatives and controls (N = 3428) from the Psychosis Endophenotypes International Consortium (PEIC). The carriers of specific schizophrenia-associated CNVs showed poorer performance than non-carriers in immediate (P = 0.0036) and delayed (P = 0.0115) verbal recall. We found suggestive evidence that carriers of schizophrenia-associated CNVs had poorer block design performance (P = 0.0307). We do not find any association between CNV burden and cognition. Our findings show that the known high-risk CNVs are not only associated with schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders, but are also a contributing factor to impairment in cognitive domains such as memory and perceptual reasoning, and act as intermediate biomarkers of disease risk.
Topics: Cognition; DNA Copy Number Variations; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genome-Wide Association Study; Humans; Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia
PubMed: 32719466
DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0820-7 -
Journal of the American Medical... Nov 2020In recent years numerous studies have achieved promising results in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) detection using automatic language processing. We systematically review...
OBJECTIVE
In recent years numerous studies have achieved promising results in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) detection using automatic language processing. We systematically review these articles to understand the effectiveness of this approach, identify any issues and report the main findings that can guide further research.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We searched PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science for articles published in English between 2013 and 2019. We performed a systematic literature review to answer 5 key questions: (1) What were the characteristics of participant groups? (2) What language data were collected? (3) What features of speech and language were the most informative? (4) What methods were used to classify between groups? (5) What classification performance was achieved?
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
We identified 33 eligible studies and 5 main findings: participants' demographic variables (especially age ) were often unbalanced between AD and control group; spontaneous speech data were collected most often; informative language features were related to word retrieval and semantic, syntactic, and acoustic impairment; neural nets, support vector machines, and decision trees performed well in AD detection, and support vector machines and decision trees performed well in decline detection; and average classification accuracy was 89% in AD and 82% in mild cognitive impairment detection versus healthy control groups.
CONCLUSION
The systematic literature review supported the argument that language and speech could successfully be used to detect dementia automatically. Future studies should aim for larger and more balanced datasets, combine data collection methods and the type of information analyzed, focus on the early stages of the disease, and report performance using standardized metrics.
Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Artificial Intelligence; Decision Trees; Humans; Language Disorders; Language Tests; Machine Learning; Natural Language Processing; Speech
PubMed: 32929494
DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa174 -
Medical Science Monitor : International... Nov 2022Changes in central auditory processing due to aging in normal-hearing elderly patients, as well as age-related hearing loss, are often associated with difficulties in...
Changes in central auditory processing due to aging in normal-hearing elderly patients, as well as age-related hearing loss, are often associated with difficulties in speech processing, especially in unfavorable acoustic environments. Speech processing depends on the perception of temporal and spectral features, and for this reason can be assessed by recordings of phase-locked neural activity when synchronized to transient and periodic sound stimuli frequency-following responses (FFRs). An electronic search of the PubMed and Web of Science databases was carried out in July 2019. Studies that evaluated the effects of age-related hearing loss on components of FFRs were included. Studies that were not in English, studies performed on animals, studies with cochlear implant users, literature reviews, letters to the editor, and case studies were excluded. Our search yielded 6 studies, each of which included 30 to 94 subjects aged between 18 and 80 years. Latency increases and significant amplitude reduction of the onset, offset, and sloop V/A components of FFRs were observed. Latency and amplitude impairment of the fundamental frequency, first formant, and high formants were related to peripheral sensorineural hearing loss in the elderly population. Conclusions: Temporal changes in FFR tracing were related to the aging process. Hearing loss also impacts the envelope fine structure, producing poorer speech comprehension in noisy environments. More research is needed to understand aspects related to hearing loss and cognitive aspects common to the elderly.
Topics: Aged; Animals; Humans; Speech; Speech Perception; Acoustic Stimulation; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural; Cochlear Implants
PubMed: 36397662
DOI: 10.12659/MSM.938089