Teaching children who use augmentative and alternative communication to ask inverted yes/no questions using aided modeling.

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of a direct intervention program involving aided modeling and the presentation of contrastive targets on the aided production of inverted yes/no questions and possible generalization to other sentence types by children using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

Method: A single-case, multiple-probe, experimental design across participants was used to evaluate the effects of the instructional program with 3 children who had motor speech disorders and used AAC (ages 4;10 [years;months], 6;2, and 4;9). The treatment involved aided modeling of treatment and contrastive targets through concentrated modeling and interactive play activities.

Recognition of paediatric otopathology by General Practitioners.

Objective: General Practitioners (GPs) are required to diagnose a number of common ear pathologies on a regular basis. In particular, otitis media with effusion (OME) can be well managed in primary care if a reliable diagnosis can be made. We set out to assess the confidence and ability of GPs to diagnose otopathology, as well as the access that they had to tympanometry and pneumatic otoscopy to assist in making their diagnoses.