Communication in children and adolescents after acquired brain injury: An exploratory study.

Objective: The usability of the Communicative Effectiveness Index (CETI) in adolescents with acquired brain injury was investigated and compared with linguistic, cognitive and brain injury data.

Design: A prospective, longitudinal, between-group design.

Subjects: Thirty participants were divided into 2 subgroups: CETI+ and CETI- groups.

Features of aphasic gesturing--an exploratory study of features in gestures produced by persons with and without aphasia.

The purpose of this study was to see how features of gestures produced by persons with aphasia (PWA) are affected and to relate the findings to possible underlying factors. Spontaneous gestures were studied in two contexts: (i) associated with the production of nouns and verbs and (ii) in relation to word finding or production difficulties. The method involved assembling two datasets of co-speech gestures, produced by PWA and by persons without aphasia and to code the gestures for a number of features of expression and content.

Patterns of communicative interaction between a child with severe speech and physical impairments and her caregiver during a mealtime activity.

Background: Interaction between caregivers and children with severe impairments is closely related to the demands of daily activities. This study examines the relationship between interaction and the routine mealtime activity at home.

Method: Patterns of interaction between a child (aged 6 years and 6 months) with severe speech and physical impairments and her caregiver (focus dyad) and a child without impairments (aged 6 years and 6 months) and her caregiver (comparison dyad) were analysed using video recordings and activity-based communication analysis.

Aphasia and text writing.

Background: Good writing skills are needed in almost every aspect of life today, and there is a growing interest in research into acquired writing difficulties. Most of the findings reported so far, however, are based on words produced in isolation. The present study deals with the production of entire texts.

Embodiment in communication--aphasia, apraxia and the possible role of mirroring and imitation.

The role of embodiment in communication is attracting an increased interest. This interest is to some extent caused by hypotheses and findings concerning mirror neurons in macaques, that is, neurons that are activated by production as well as perception of, for example, a certain movement of action. Mirror neurons seem to provide a fairly simple mechanism for acting, perceiving, imitating and pantomime, which could be crucial to the development of human communication and language.