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Ear and Hearing 2018Children diagnosed with auditory processing disorders (APD) experience difficulties in auditory functioning and with memory, attention, language, and reading tasks.... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
OBJECTIVES
Children diagnosed with auditory processing disorders (APD) experience difficulties in auditory functioning and with memory, attention, language, and reading tasks. However, it is not clear whether the behavioral characteristics of these children are distinctive from the behavioral characteristics of children diagnosed with a different developmental disorder, such as specific language impairment (SLI), dyslexia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disorder (LD), or autism spectrum disorder. This study describes the performance of children diagnosed with APD, SLI, dyslexia, ADHD, and LD to different outcome measurements. The aim of this study was to determine (1) which characteristics of APD overlap with the characteristics of children with SLI, dyslexia, ADHD, LD, or autism spectrum disorder; and (2) if there are characteristics that distinguish children diagnosed with APD from children diagnosed with other developmental disorders.
DESIGN
A systematic review. Six electronic databases (Pubmed, CINAHL, Eric, PsychINFO, Communication & Mass Media Complete, and EMBASE) were searched to find peer-reviewed studies from 1954 to May 2015. The authors included studies reporting behaviors and performance of children with (suspected) APD and children diagnosed with a different developmental disorder (SLI, Dyslexia, ADHD, and LD). Two researchers identified and screened the studies independently. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's levels-of-evidence scheme.
RESULTS
In total, 13 studies of which the methodological quality was moderate were included in this systematic review. In five studies, the performance of children diagnosed with APD was compared with the performance of children diagnosed with SLI: in two with children diagnosed with dyslexia, one with children diagnosed with ADHD, and in another one with children diagnosed with LD. Ten of the studies included children who met the criteria for more than one diagnosis. In four studies, there was a comparison made between the performances of children with comorbid disorders. There were no studies found in which the performance of children diagnosed with APD was compared with the performance of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Children diagnosed with APD broadly share the same characteristics as children diagnosed with other developmental disorders, with only minor differences between them. Differences were determined with the auditory and visual Duration Pattern Test, the Children's Auditory Processing Performance Scale questionnaire, and the subtests of the Listening in Spatialized Noise-Sentences test, in which noise is spatially separated from target sentences. However, these differences are not consistent between studies and are not found in comparison to all groups of children with other developmental disorders.
CONCLUSIONS
Children diagnosed with APD perform equally to children diagnosed with SLI, dyslexia, ADHD, and LD on tests of intelligence, memory or attention, and language tests. Only small differences between groups were found for sensory and perceptual functioning tasks (auditory and visual). In addition, children diagnosed with dyslexia performed poorer in reading tasks compared with children diagnosed with APD. The result is possibly confounded by poor quality of the research studies and the low quality of the used outcome measures. More research with higher scientific rigor is required to better understand the differences and similarities in children with various neurodevelopmental disorders.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Auditory Perceptual Disorders; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child; Developmental Disabilities; Dyslexia; Humans; Language Disorders; Learning Disabilities
PubMed: 28863035
DOI: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000479 -
MedEdPublish (2016) 2017This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended.
UNLABELLED
This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended.
INTRODUCTION
Dyslexia is a common condition. Estimates suggest it effects approximately 10% of the worldwide population, and 1.7% of UK medical students. This review aimed to explore the existing literature concerning the exam performance of medical students with dyslexia.
METHODS
A Review of Medline, ERIC, PsychInfo, The Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA checklist. Papers were accepted if they concerned the exam performance of medical students with dyslexia.
RESULTS
Three papers were selected for review. These were all cross-sectional studies comparing exam results in students with dyslexia and without dyslexia - and the impacts of extra time in exams. A risk of bias assessment determined that all three were appropriate to include in this review. A meta-analysis was planned but could not be performed because the number of studies was low and heterogeneity between the studies too high. There was consensus that Multiple Choice Question exams were fair for students with dyslexia, when extra time was allowed. Essay type exams were found to be particularly challenging for students with dyslexia. Students with dyslexia were also found to be at a disadvantage in their first year.
DISCUSSION
Overall, the evidence suggests that medical students with dyslexia are slower to adapt to medical school and under-perform early in the course. However, with appropriate supports, they appear to perform on a par with their non-dyslexic peers as they progress through their course. Our review highlights the need for more research in the medical student population.
PubMed: 38406421
DOI: 10.15694/mep.2017.000116 -
Autoimmunity Reviews Jul 2017To analyze published data on the influence of maternal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on different aspects of child development. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To analyze published data on the influence of maternal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on different aspects of child development.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Embase searches for SLE or SLE-related antibodies and physical, neurocognitive, psychiatric or motor development outcomes in children.
RESULTS
In total 24 cohort and 4 case-control studies were included after initial screening of 1853 hits. Learning disorders (LD) were reported in 21.4-26% of SLE offspring, exceeding the prevalence in the general population. Four studies reported that dyslexia and reading problems were present in 14.3-21.6% of lupus offspring with a clear male predominance. Furthermore, a twofold increased rate of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (n=1 study) and a two- to threefold increased risk for speech disorders (n=3 studies) were reported in lupus offspring compared to controls, although the latter was not statistically significant. More divergent results were found for attention deficit (n=5 studies) and behavior disorders (n=3 studies). In two large controlled studies attention disorders were more prevalent and a trend towards more behavior disorders was reported in 2 of 3 studies analyzing this subject. Finally, IQ and motor skills were not affected in respectively 7 and 5 studies. Cardiopulmonary functioning and mood disorders were scarcely investigated (both n=1). Maternal anti-SSA antibodies were associated with LD in offspring in one study. Other SLE-related antibodies were rarely studied.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review suggests that maternal SLE is associated with LD (specifically dyslexia), ASD, attention deficit and probably speech problems in offspring. However, over half of the studies were assigned a low or moderate evidence level. Therefore, further research is necessary to substantiate the found evidence and expand the scope to lesser researched areas such as cardiopulmonary functioning.
Topics: Animals; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Female; Humans; Learning Disabilities; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Mothers; Speech Disorders
PubMed: 28479488
DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2017.05.005 -
Journal of Optometry 2016Claims that coloured filters aid reading date back 200 years and remain controversial. Some claims, for example, that more than 10% of the general population and 50% of... (Review)
Review
Claims that coloured filters aid reading date back 200 years and remain controversial. Some claims, for example, that more than 10% of the general population and 50% of people with dyslexia would benefit from coloured filters lack sound evidence and face validity. Publications with such claims typically cite research using methods that have not been described in the scientific literature and lack a sound aetiological framework. Notwithstanding these criticisms, some researchers have used more rigorous selection criteria and methods of prescribing coloured filters that were developed at a UK Medical Research Council unit and which have been fully described in the scientific literature. We review this research and disconfirm many of the more extreme claims surrounding this topic. This literature indicates that a minority subset of dyslexics (circa 20%) may have a condition described as visual stress which most likely results from a hyperexcitability of the visual cortex. Visual stress is characterised by symptoms of visual perceptual distortions, headaches, and eyestrain when viewing repetitive patterns, including lines of text. This review indicates that visual stress is distinct from, although sometimes co-occurs with, dyslexia. Individually prescribed coloured filters have been shown to improve reading performance in people with visual stress, but are unlikely to influence the phonological and memory deficits associated with dyslexia and therefore are not a treatment for dyslexia. This review concludes that larger and rigorous randomised controlled trials of interventions for visual stress are required. Improvements in the diagnosis of the condition are also a priority.
Topics: Asthenopia; Color Perception; Colorimetry; Dyslexia; Filtration; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Reading; Visual Perception
PubMed: 27425262
DOI: 10.1016/j.optom.2016.04.002 -
CoDAS 2014To verify the universal nature of the phonological processing deficit hypothesis for dyslexia, since the most influential studies on the topic were conducted in children... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To verify the universal nature of the phonological processing deficit hypothesis for dyslexia, since the most influential studies on the topic were conducted in children or adults speakers of English.
RESEARCH STRATEGY
A systematic review was designed, conducted and analyzed using PubMed, Science Direct, and SciELO databases.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The literature search was conducted using the terms "phonological processing" AND "dyslexia" in publications of the last ten years (2004-2014).
DATA ANALYSIS
Following screening of (a) titles and abstracts and (b) full papers, 187 articles were identified as meeting the pre-established inclusion criteria.
RESULTS
The phonological processing deficit hypothesis was explored in studies involving several languages. More importantly, we identify studies in all types of writing systems such as ideographic, syllabic and logographic, as well as alphabetic orthography, with different levels of orthography-phonology consistency.
CONCLUSION
The phonological processing hypothesis was considered as a valid explanation to dyslexia, in a wide variety of spoken languages and writing systems.
Topics: Dyslexia; Humans; Language; Language Development Disorders; Phonetics; Reading; Speech Perception; Writing
PubMed: 25590915
DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20142014135 -
Dyslexia (Chichester, England) Nov 2014This article reports on a study focusing on the inclusion of students with dyslexia in higher education (HE). A systematic review was carried out to retrieve, critically... (Review)
Review
This article reports on a study focusing on the inclusion of students with dyslexia in higher education (HE). A systematic review was carried out to retrieve, critically appraise and synthesize the available evidence on how the inclusion of students with dyslexia can be fostered in HE. The 15 studies included in the final synthesis employed descriptive designs and overwhelmingly used qualitative methods to explore dyslexic students' perceptions on the impact of teaching, support and accommodation in their own learning experience. A critical appraisal of these studies revealed a landscape of significant gaps in the available stock of evidence on the inclusion of students with dyslexia in HE. The synthesis of the available evidence is presented in a narrative of five cross-study thematic areas: student coping strategies, being identified as dyslexic, interaction with academic staff, accessibility and accommodations, and using assistive technologies and information and communication technologies. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Dyslexia; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Learning; Male; Personal Narratives as Topic; Self Concept; Students; Teaching
PubMed: 25293652
DOI: 10.1002/dys.1484