A Goal-Writing Framework for Motor-Based Intervention for Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Purpose: There are multiple frameworks for goal writing that are applicable to the practice of speech-language pathology. Motor-based speech disorders are a subset of speech sound disorders that are thought to require specific elements of intervention that are typically not addressed in the traditional frameworks used in the clinical setting. The purpose of this tutorial is to review general approaches of goal writing and suggest additional elements that may be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of treatment for childhood motor speech disorders, specifically childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).

Motor Speech Phenotypes in Children With Epilepsy: Preliminary Findings.

Purpose: This exploratory study aimed to characterize motor speech impairments in a small sample of children with epilepsy, both with and without a known seizure etiology. A secondary aim was to evaluate the validity of the Profile for Childhood Apraxia of speech and Dysarthria (ProCAD), a newly developed tool for differential diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria.

Method: Thirteen children with seizure disorders completed a comprehensive speech and language assessment.

Comorbidity and Severity in Childhood Apraxia of Speech: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate comorbidity prevalence and patterns in childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and their relationship to severity.

Method: In this retroactive cross-sectional study, medical records for 375 children with CAS ( = 4;9 [years;months], = 2;9) were examined for comorbid conditions. The total number of comorbid conditions and the number of communication-related comorbidities were regressed on CAS severity as rated by speech-language pathologists during diagnosis.

A Tool for Differential Diagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Dysarthria in Children: A Tutorial.

Purpose: While there has been mounting research centered on the diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), little has focused on differentiating CAS from pediatric dysarthria. Because CAS and dysarthria share overlapping speech symptoms and some children have both motor speech disorders, differential diagnosis can be challenging. There is a need for clinical tools that facilitate assessment of both CAS and dysarthria symptoms in children.

Incidence of Celiac Disease in Down Syndrome: A Longitudinal, Population-Based Birth Cohort Study.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for children with Down syndrome (DS) include assessment for celiac disease (CD), although data to support this recommendation have been inconsistent. We determined the incidence of CD among children with DS in a population-based birth cohort of children born from 1976 to 2000 in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Individuals with karyotype-confirmed DS and CD (using diagnosis codes, positive serology, and duodenal biopsies) were identified.

Bang for Your Buck: A Single-Case Experimental Design Study of Practice Amount and Distribution in Treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine 2 aspects of treatment intensity in treatment for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS): practice amount and practice distribution. Method Using an alternating-treatments single-subject design with multiple baselines, we compared high versus low amount of practice, and massed versus distributed practice, in 6 children with CAS. Conditions were manipulated in the context of integral stimulation treatment.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Incidence and Time Trends Over Two Decades in a Population-Based Birth Cohort.

We retrospectively identified autism spectrum disorder (ASD) incident cases among 31,220 individuals in a population-based birth cohort based on signs and symptoms uniformly abstracted from medical and educational records. Inclusive and narrow research definitions of ASD (ASD-R and ASD-R, respectively) were explored, along with clinical diagnoses of ASD (ASD-C) obtained from the records. The incidence of ASD-R ASD-R, and ASD-C increased significantly from 1985 to 1998, then ASD-R and ASD-R plateaued while the rate of ASD-C continued to increase during 1998-2004.

Clustering and variable selection in the presence of mixed variable types and missing data.

We consider the problem of model-based clustering in the presence of many correlated, mixed continuous, and discrete variables, some of which may have missing values. Discrete variables are treated with a latent continuous variable approach, and the Dirichlet process is used to construct a mixture model with an unknown number of components. Variable selection is also performed to identify the variables that are most influential for determining cluster membership.

What can large population-based birth cohort study ask about past, present and future of children with disorders of development, learning and behaviour?

A large cohort consisting of all children born to mothers from community provides 'natural' selection into different exposures and is a powerful resource for epidemiological research. A large population-based birth cohort with detailed systematic information already recorded, as part of longitudinal medical care, historical and current school data, detailed birth certificate data and all three resources available for every member of the birth cohort, are extremely rare. Our population-based birth cohort consists of all children born between 1976 and 2000 to mothers residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota, at the time of child's birth (N=39 890).

Motor-based intervention protocols in treatment of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).

This paper reviews current trends in treatment for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), with a particular emphasis on motor-based intervention protocols. The paper first briefly discusses how CAS fits into the typology of speech sound disorders, followed by a discussion of the potential relevance of principles derived from the motor learning literature for CAS treatment. Next, different motor-based treatment protocols are reviewed, along with their evidence base.

A motor speech assessment for children with severe speech disorders: reliability and validity evidence.

Purpose: In this article, the authors report reliability and validity evidence for the Dynamic Evaluation of Motor Speech Skill (DEMSS), a new test that uses dynamic assessment to aid in the differential diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).

Method: Participants were 81 children between 36 and 79 months of age who were referred to the Mayo Clinic for diagnosis of speech sound disorders. Children were given the DEMSS and a standard speech and language test battery as part of routine evaluations.

Early speech-language impairment and risk for written language disorder: a population-based study.

Objective: To compare risk of written language disorder (WLD) in children with and without speech-language impairment (S/LI) from a population-based cohort.

Methods: Subjects included all children born between 1976 and 1982 in Rochester, Minnesota, who remained in the community after age 5 years (n = 5718). Records from public and private schools, medical agencies, and tutoring services were abstracted.

Outcomes of cochlear implantation in children with auditory neuropathy.

Ten children who were diagnosed with auditory neuropathy were matched with ten children who were diagnosed with other etiologies. All twenty children received cochlear implants at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Various measures were used to compare the outcomes for the two groups.