Executive functioning and nonverbal cognitive factors associated with response to technology-assisted language intervention.

Objective: To explore potential differences in the relationship between executive function (EF) skills and language development when integrating augmentative and alternative communication technology into speech-language therapy for deaf/hard of hearing (DHH) children.

Method: Randomized trial data were analysed to investigate this relationship among children who participated in a Technology-Assisted Language Intervention (TALI) compared to treatment as usual (TAU). Language samples were assessed for pre-post-intervention changes, including mean length of utterance in morphemes (MLU), mean turn length (MTL), and number of different words spoken (NDW).

Technology assisted language intervention (TALI) for children who are deaf/hard of hearing: promising impact on pragmatic skills.

Unlabelled: Children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) often demonstrate pragmatic language difficulties which can impact academic and social outcomes. This randomized control trial for DHH children, ages 3-12 years, explored the Technology-Assisted Language Intervention (TALI), incorporating augmentative and alternative communication technology (AAC) into traditional speech/language therapy, compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) to determine impact on pragmatics. Pragmatic outcome measures included parent reported Pragmatics Profile of the CELF-5 (for children age ≥5 years) and CELF-P Descriptive Pragmatics Profile (for children <5 years) in addition to parent reported Social and Communication domains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales,Third Edition (VABS).

A Technology-Assisted Language Intervention for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background And Objectives: Children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) often have persistent language delays despite early identification and interventions. The technology-assisted language intervention (TALI), which incorporates augmentative and alternative communication technology into a speech-language therapy model, was designed to support language learning. The study objective was to evaluate the impact of the TALI on spoken language outcomes in DHH children.

Enhancing language in children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing using augmentative and alternative communication technology strategies.

Background: Despite early identification and intervention, many children who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) demonstrate significant gaps in language development which can directly impact social interactions.

Aims: The objective of this pilot study was to determine whether integrating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) core word language strategies into a speech-language therapy program for young children who are D/HH improves spoken language outcomes.

Methods: Eleven young children, median age 5 years 7 months (range 3y;11 m to 10y;8 m) with bilateral hearing loss were enrolled in a single-case experimental design and completed a 24-week intervention that incorporated high-tech AAC strategies into a traditional speech-language therapy model (technology-assisted language intervention or TALI).

Language Underperformance in Young Children Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing: Are the Expectations Too Low?

Objective: (1) To examine language performance in the context of cognitive abilities in young children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and (2) to identify factors associated with having a language underperformance, defined as a gap between the language standard score and the nonverbal IQ (NVIQ) standard score.

Methods: Children 6 to 82 months of age with bilateral hearing loss were enrolled. Language performance was defined as a ratio of language skills relative to cognitive abilities with language underperformance defined as a ratio of language scores to NVIQ <0.

Twenty years of dysuria in a patient with Addison's disease: a case report.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is an X-linked recessive disorder affecting approximately 1 in 21,000 males, and is estimated to be the cause of adrenal insufficiency in approximately 35% of patients with idiopathic Addison's disease. The disease is caused by defective beta-oxidation of fatty acids in peroxisomes that leads to elevated serum concentrations of very-long-chain saturated fatty acids. The accumulation causes a primary adrenal insufficiency and progressive neurological dysfunction.