Assessing children's speech intelligibility and oral structures, and functions via an Internet-based telehealth system.

We examined the validity and reliability of an Internet-based telehealth system for screening speech intelligibility and oro-motor structure, and function in children with speech disorders. Twenty children aged 4-9 years were assessed by a clinician in the conventional, face-to-face (FTF) manner; simultaneously, they were assessed by a second clinician via the videoconferencing system using a 128-kbit/s Internet connection. Speech intelligibility in conversation was rated and an informal assessment of oro-motor structure and function was conducted.

Differentiating profiles of speech impairments in Friedreich's ataxia: a perceptual and instrumental approach.

Background: The speech disorder associated with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is classically described as ataxic dysarthria. However, variable neuropathology beyond the cerebellum, which may include the corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts, means that the dysarthria can be mixed rather than a pure ataxic dysarthria.

Aims: To characterize physiological features of the dysarthria associated with FRDA and identify differential patterns of deviation that may occur across the subsystems of the speech-production mechanism in a series of seven case studies.

Articulatory kinematics in the dysarthria associated with Friedreich's ataxia.

Electromagnetic articulography (EMA) was used to investigate the tongue kinematics in the dysarthria associated with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). The subject group consisted of four individuals diagnosed with FRDA. Five nonneurologically impaired individuals, matched for age and gender, served as controls.

Spectral measures of the effects of Friedreich's ataxia on speech.

This study identifies two measures of the effects of Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) on speech motor control. Speech samples of 17 healthy controls and 37 speakers with dysarthria associated with FRDA were recorded during one structured and one unstructured speaking task. Two measures of spectral variation were used that relate to the rate and range of changes that occur in the spectral envelope.

Measures of spectral change and their application to habitual, slow, and clear speaking modes.

Spectral measures are sensitive to dysarthric speech. However, it is unclear whether the spectral differences in dysarthric and healthy speech are due to slow articulation rate or reflect other qualitative changes in speech. Spectral measures were used to detect differences between habitual, slow, and "clear" speaking modes in 12 healthy speakers.

Differentiating impairment levels in temporal versus spatial aspects of linguopalatal contacts in Friedreich's ataxia.

Electropalatography (EPG) was used to describe the pattern of linguopalatal contact and the consonant phase durations exhibited by a group of seven individuals with dysarthria associated with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). A group of 14 non-neurologically impaired individuals served as controls. The Reading Electropalatograph (EPG3) system was used to record linguopalatal contact during production of the target consonants (/t/, /l/, /s/, /k/) elicited in five words of CV and CVC construction, with the target consonants in word initial position.

Kinematic analysis of lingual movements during consonant productions in dysarthric speakers with Friedreich's ataxia: A case-by-case analysis.

Articulatory kinematics were investigated using electromagnetic articulography (EMA) in four dysarthric speakers with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). Specifically, tongue-tip and tongue-back movements were recorded by the AG-200 EMA system during production of the consonants /t/ and /k/ as produced within a sentence utterance and during a rapid syllable repetition task. The results obtained for each of the participants with FRDA were individually compared to those obtained by a control group (n = 10).

Internet-based telehealth assessment of language using the CELF-4.

Purpose: Telehealth has the potential to improve children's access to speech-language pathology services. Validation of telehealth applications, including the assessment of childhood language disorders, is necessary for telehealth to become an accepted alternative mode of service provision. The aim of this study was to validate an Internet-based telehealth system for assessing childhood language disorders.

An Internet-based telerehabilitation system for the assessment of motor speech disorders: a pilot study.

Purpose: This pilot study explored the feasibility and effectiveness of an Internet-based telerehabilitation application for the assessment of motor speech disorders in adults with acquired neurological impairment.

Method: Using a counterbalanced, repeated measures research design, 2 speech-language pathologists assessed 19 speakers with dysarthria on a battery of perceptual assessments. The assessments included a 19-item version of the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (FDA; P.

Articulatory function following traumatic brain injury in childhood: a perceptual and instrumental analysis.

Primary Objective: To investigate the articulatory function of a group of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI), using both perceptual and instrumental techniques.

Research Design: The performance of 24 children with TBI was assessed on a battery of perceptual (Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, Assessment of Intelligibility of Dysarthric Speech and speech sample analysis) and instrumental (lip and tongue pressure transduction systems) assessments and compared with that of 24 non-neurologically impaired children matched for age and sex.

Main Outcomes: Perceptual assessment identified consonant and vowel imprecision, increased length of phonemes and over-all reduction in speech intelligibility, while instrumental assessment revealed significant impairment in lip and tongue function in the TBI group, with rate and pressure in repetitive lip and tongue tasks particularly impaired.

An evaluation of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in the treatment of hypernasality following traumatic brain injury: a report of 3 cases.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in the treatment of hypernasality following traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design: An A-B-A experimental research design. Assessments were conducted prior to commencement of the program, midway, immediately posttreatment, and 1 month after completion of the CPAP therapy program.

Perceptual and instrumental evaluation of voice and tongue function after carotid endarterectomy.

Objective: Laryngeal and tongue function was assessed in 28 patients to evaluate the presence, nature, and resolution of superior recurrent laryngeal and hypoglossal nerve damage resulting from standard open primary carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Methods: The laryngeal and tongue function in 28 patients who underwent CEA were examined prospectively with various physiologic (Aerophone II, laryngograph, tongue transducer), acoustic (Multi-Dimensional Voice Program), and perceptual speech assessments. Measures were obtained from all participants preoperatively, and at 2 weeks and at 3 months postoperatively.

Perceptual and instrumental analysis of laryngeal function after traumatic brain injury in childhood.

Objective: To investigate laryngeal function and phonatory disturbance in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI), using both perceptual and instrumental techniques.

Design And Participants: The performance of 16 individuals with moderate to severe TBI acquired in childhood and 16 nonneurologically impaired control subjects was compared on a battery of perceptual (Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, speech sample analysis) and instrumental (Aerophone II, laryngograph) assessments.

Results And Conclusions: As a group, the children with TBI demonstrated normal, or only minimally impaired laryngeal function, when compared with the control group, which contrasts with the significant laryngeal impairment noted in adults after TBI.

Perceptual analysis of speech following traumatic brain injury in childhood.

Primary Objective: To investigate perceptually the speech dimensions, oromotor function, and speech intelligibility of a group of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) acquired in childhood.

Research Design: The speech of 24 children with TBI was analysed perceptually and compared with that of a group of non-neurologically impaired children matched for age and sex.

Main Outcome And Results: The 16 dysarthric TBI subjects were significantly less intelligible than the control subjects, and demonstrated significant impairment in 12 of the 33 speech dimensions rated.