Speech Perception and Language Abilities Among Children Using Cochlear Implants: Findings From a Primary School Age Cohort in South India.

Objectives: This study aimed to profile the speech perception and language abilities of a cohort of pediatric cochlear implant (CI) users in primary school years. It also aimed to understand the intercorrelations among audiological, child, and environmental characteristics, speech perception, and language skills and to explore the predictors of speech perception and language skills.

Design: A cross-sectional design was used for the study.

Effect of an oral stimulation protocol on breastfeeding among preterm infants: a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: The objectives are to assess the effectiveness of a modified and adapted oral sensorimotor intervention (MA-OSMI) protocol for infants in India on the rate and performance of breastfeeding among preterm (PT) infants at discharge.

Design: Single-centre randomised control trial.

Setting: Level III B neonatal intensive care unit in a quaternary care hospital in South India.

Development of a conceptual framework to understand the stakeholder's perspectives on needs and readiness of rural tele-practice for childhood communication disorders.

Background: Tele-practice promotes universal and equitable access to quality health services and emerged as an alternative to overcome physical barriers to intervention access in the 90s. There has been a steady increase in adoption since then, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in online modes of healthcare service delivery. Yet, tele-practice adoption and utilization in rural and remote areas are not spontaneous.

Field validation of an app based developmental and speech language screening (SRESHT screener) conducted by grass root workers.

Unlabelled: This study validated an app-based developmental and speech language screening (SRESHT screener) conducted by Grass Roots Workers (GRWs) among children below six years of age in a rural community in the state of Tamil Nadu (the field).

Method: The study was carried out in two phases, first the training of GRWs and then the validation of the screening conducted by them using the app. For the training, suitable materials were developed, and the GRW's knowledge and skills were evaluated pre- and post-training.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool-Breastfeeding Into Tamil.

Objective: To adapt the Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool-Breastfeeding (NeoEAT-Breastfeeding) into Tamil, a language spoken in several South Asian countries, to identify the tool's factor structure, and to assess its psychometric properties.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Tertiary care hospital in South India.

Relationship between parental report of language skills and children's performance among 3-year-olds: Implications for screening language among preschoolers.

Aim: The study compared parental ratings of children's language abilities at 3-years of age with observations of children's language performance by Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs).

Method: Children (n=85) around 3-years of age were recruited from a child development clinic. Detailed speech and language assessments were completed during a one-hour semi-structured clinician-child interactive session.

An eclectic Voice Therapy Program for the Treatment of Hyperfunctional Voice Disorders (HFVD).

Purpose: An eclectic voice therapy program includes sequenced and structured set of exercises combining direct and indirect intervention methods. Tailor-made exercise prescription with specific cultural adaptations are needed to provide a holistic change to voice quality. This study detailed the construction of an exercise prescription for participants with hyperfunctional voice disorder [HFVD] in the Indian context.

Visual-perceptual function of children using the developmental test of visual perception-3.

: The development of region-specific norms for the Developmental Test of Visual Perception, third edition (DTVP-3), from a group of children from South India will contribute to the assessment of visual-perceptual skills in children.: Visual-perceptual skills are crucial for children to understand their environment, perform activities of daily living, and cope with their learning environment. These perceptual skills also influence children's behavioural characteristics.

Cepstral Measures to Analyze Vocal Fatigue in Individuals With Hyperfunctional Voice Disorder.

Objective: Cepstral measures are sensitive to slightest deviance in voice quality. Vocal fatigue is an initial symptom of a voice disorder. This study aimed (1) to assess the correlation of vocal fatigue and cepstral measures and (2) to identify a measure for analyzing voice change due to vocal fatigue in individuals with hyperfunctional voice disorders.

Preliminary evaluation of a low-intensity parent training program on speech-language stimulation for children with language delay.

Aim: The study assessed the outcome of a low-intensity parent training program for improving parent's language input to children with language delay.

Method: Nine parents and their children aged between 12 months to 24 months, exhibiting delay in language development, participated in a brief training program over three sessions. Training comprised of inputs on speech-language development, play development and speech-language stimulation strategies, supported by a manual.

School-based language screening among primary school children using telepractice: A feasibility study from India.

: This study explored the feasibility of conducting school-based language screening using telepractice to expand its scope for providing speech-language pathology services in India. : Thirty-two primary school children underwent language screenings through in-person and telemethods. Screening through telemethod was conducted by a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) using digitised picture stimuli presented through videoconferencing and remote computing with assistance of a facilitator at school site.

School entry level tele-hearing screening in a town in South India - Lessons learnt.

Introduction: School screening is warranted in developing countries that do not have newborn hearing screening as schools provide access to a large number of young children between 3 and 5 years of age. Due to scarcity of technical manpower and equipment, hearing screening programs are not often conducted in developing countries. In these circumstances, telehealth services appear to be a reasonable solution.

Distinct developmental profiles in typical speech acquisition.

Three- to five-year-old children produce speech that is characterized by a high level of variability within and across individuals. This variability, which is manifest in speech movements, acoustics, and overt behaviors, can be input to subgroup discovery methods to identify cohesive subgroups of speakers or to reveal distinct developmental pathways or profiles. This investigation characterized three distinct groups of typically developing children and provided normative benchmarks for speech development.