Electrophysiological characterization of hearing in individuals with Down syndrome.

Introduction: Few studies have performed Brainstem (BAEP) and P300 Auditory Evoked Potentials simultaneously to assess central auditory pathways in normal hearing individuals with Down syndrome (DS), mainly because of the difficulty in applying these procedures to this population. Previous studies have suggested that individuals with DS might present different patterns of response compared with those of individuals with typical development; nevertheless, the identification of these potentials would be crucial for the establishment of an accurate audiological diagnosis.

Purpose: To characterize BAEP and P300 in normal-hearing individuals with DS.

Wideband reflectance in Down syndrome.

Objective: Children with Down syndrome (DS) have a high incidence of middle ear disorders and congenital abnormalities of the external, middle and inner ear. Energy reflectance (ER), a wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) measurement parameter, can measure the sound energy reflected or absorbed in the ear canal over a wider range of frequencies more efficiently and faster than conventional single-tone 226 Hz tympanometry. The aim of the present study was to compare the WAI measurements of children with DS with those of typically developing, normal-hearing children according to their tympanometric findings.

Dietary transition difficulties in preterm infants: critical literature review.

Objective: To analyze the scientific literature on dietary changes in preterm children during the first years of life.

Data Source: The PubMed database was used for article selection. The texts were analyzed according to their objectives, research design, and research group characteristics.

Comparison between clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallowing in children with suspected dysphagia.

Purpose: To verify the accuracy of clinical evaluation compared with videofluoroscopic swallowing studies in the detection of isolated laryngeal penetration and laryngeal aspiration in children with suspected dysphagia; to identify clinical signs and symptoms associated with isolated laryngeal penetration and laryngeal aspiration; and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the clinical signs and symptoms identified.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of data from clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluations carried out in 55 children from 1 month to 7 years and 11 months old. For clinical assessment, the Protocol for Clinical Assessment of Pediatric Dysphagia was used.

Laryngeal cleft type I in neonate: case report.

Laryngeal cleft (LC) is a congenital malformation that leads to the unusual communication between the esophagus and the laryngotracheal complex. It is a rare disease, mostly prevalent among male individuals. The goal of this study was to describe the evaluation and intervention by the speech language pathologist of a female newborn diagnosed with LC type I, admitted on the University Hospital of Universidade de São Paulo, in her second hospitalization due to small weight gain and pneumonia.

Mean length utterance in Brazilian children: a comparative study between Down syndrome, specific language impairment, and typical language development.

Purpose: To describe the linguistic performance of Brazilian Portuguese-speaking children with Down syndrome by analyzing their Mean Length Utterance; to compare their performance to that of children with Specific Language Impairment and Typical Development; and to verify whether children with Down syndrome present developmental language delay or disorder.

Method: Participants were 25 children with Down syndrome (Research Group), matched by mental age to a Control Group of typically developing children, and to a Control Group of children with Specific Language Impairment. Participants were divided into subgroups, according to age range (three, four and five years).

Swallowing sounds in speech therapy practice: a critical analysis of the literature.

This study aimed to investigate international scientific papers published on the subject of cervical auscultation and its use in speech therapy. The study involved a qualitative review of the literature spanning the last 10 years. Articles were selected from the PubMed database using the following keywords: cervical auscultation, swallowing and swallowing disorders.

The use of nouns and verbs by children with Down syndrome in two different situations.

Purpose: To verify the use of nouns and verbs by children with Down syndrome and to compare this use between conditions of interaction with the mother and the Speech-language pathologist (SLP).

Methods: Participants were 21 children aged between 5 and 11 years, divided into three groups, according to chronological and mental age as established by the results of the Primary Tests of Nonverbal Intelligence. The speech sample was obtained through free interaction situations that were videotaped during session of 30 minutes and transcribed in specific protocols.

Oral motor movements and swallowing in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia and esophageal motility disorders were found to be the most important causes of aspiration pneumonia in patients with myotonic dystrophy. The purpose of this report was to evaluate clinical characteristics of the oral motor movements and swallowing of individuals with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) using a standardized clinical protocol and surface electromyography (sEMG). Participants were 40 individuals divided in two groups: G1 composed of 20 adults with DM1 and G2 composed of 20 healthy volunteers paired by age and gender to the individuals in G1.

Quality of life of parents/caregivers of children and adolescents with Down syndrome.

Purpose: To assess the quality of life (LQ) of parents/caregivers of children and adolescents with Down syndrome (DS), as well as the influence of socio-demographic aspects on the results obtained.

Methods: Participants were 31 parents/caregivers of children and adolescents with DS, divided into three groups: G1, caregivers of ten preschoolers (ages between 1 year and 5 years and 11 months); G2, caregivers of 11 school-aged children (ages between 6 years and 10 years and 11 months); and, G3, caregivers of ten pre-teens and adolescents (ages between 11 years and 15 years and 11 months). Parents/caregivers characterization: most of them were between 40 and 49 years old; high-school was the most common education level, followed by incomplete elementary school and college education; concerning the socio-economic class, most of them were from classes C and B2.

Speech and myofunctional exercise physiology: a critical review of the literature.

Purpose: To analyze the scientific literature about the physiology and effects of exercises used in the treatment of oral myofunctional disorders.

Research Strategy: The methodology used followed the concepts of the Cochrane Handbook and involved question formulation related to the topic of investigation, identification and selection of the studies, and a critical evaluation of the selected articles.

Selection Criteria: Papers were selected on PubMed database using the following keyword combinations: "physiology exercise AND speech, language and hearing science", "exercise physiology AND speech therapy", "exercise physiology AND myofunctional therapy", and "physiology exercise AND swallowing therapy".

[Mean length utterance (MLU) as a measure of language development of children with Down syndrome].

Purpose: To characterize the mean length utterance in morphemes (MLU-m) and words (MLU-w) produced by children with Down syndrome (DS), and to verify the effectiveness of using EME-w as a measure of general language development of children with DS.

Methods: Participants were 15 children with ages between 5 and 12 years, who were submitted to a free interaction situation. They were divided into three groups, according to chronological and mental age, as established by the results of the Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence.

Expressive language and cognitive development: diversity and complexity of children's productions.

Background: Objective and systematized analysis of cognitive and expressive language development.

Aim: To characterize expressive language and cognitive development considering the diversity and complexity of children's productions.

Method: This study involved 20 subjects (10 male and 10 female), who were adequate for gestational age and birth weight and had no pre, peri or post natal intercurrences.

Communicative performance of children with Down syndrome in two different situations.

Background: analysis of the pragmatic aspects of language in children with Down syndrome.

Aim: to verify the influence of environmental and contextual variables in the pragmatic aspects of language of Down syndrome (DS) children when interacting with their caregivers and therapist, and to compare their performance in both situations.

Method: participants were 15 children with DS with ages ranging from 4 to 6.

Emerging issues concerning the education of speech and language pathologists and audiologists in Brazil and South America.

Diversity is one of the major characteristics of Brazil and all South America. This paper presents an overview of the current situation of the education of speech and language pathologists (SLP) and audiologists in Brazil and in several other countries of South America. This paper also discusses the main challenges shared by these countries.

Language and cognition in very low birth weight preterm infants with PELCDO application.

The performance of very low birth weight preterm infants, in terms of cognition and expressive language, was analyzed and compared with that of term infants with the Protocol for Expressive Language and Cognition Development Observation (PELCDO). The study involved 12 very low birth weight preterm infants and 20 term infants, all of whom were evaluated monthly. Sessions were videotaped, and data were analyzed according to this specific protocol.

Communicative profile used by children with Down syndrome.

Background: the communication of children with Down syndrome (DS) is frequently impaired due to difficulties in the phonological, syntactic and semantic aspects of language. In order to compensate these difficulties, many children use gestures for a longer period of time than children who present typical development (TD).

Aim: to verify the performance of children with DS regarding their communicative profile (verbal, oral and gestural) during a play situation and a spontaneous interaction with an adult.

[The emergence of expressive communication in the child with Down syndrome].

Background: expressive communication in the child with Down syndrome (DS).

Aim: this study had as a purpose the qualitative and quantitative analyses of the different forms of communication in children with DS; the emergence of oral expression and its relationship with the use of gestures; the development of gestures and their qualification; the effectiveness of the dialectic-didactic method, based on the clinical method proposed by Piaget, as a form of speech-language intervention.

Method: participants of this study were eight children with DS (ages between 33 and 52 months at the beginning of the research) - four composing the research group (RG) and four composing the control group one (CG1); and four children with normal development ND (ages between 14 and 16 months at the beginning of the research) - control group number two (CG2).

[Filmed sample size and pragmatic analysis in Down syndrome].

Background: Assessing language development is a complex task that requires practical and theoretical knowledge about the investigated issues. It is also important to take into account data gathering and analysis methodology, in order to achieve consistent and reliable results that mirror the subject's reality.

Aim: considering the purpose of obtaining the maximum data in minimum time, without jeopardizing their quality and effectiveness, our aim is to identify the better sample's size and moment of videotaped interaction to study the pragmatic abilities of children with Down syndrome.

[Stomatognathic system and body posture in children with sensoriomotor deficits].

Background: Literature points that body posture is an important aspect in the treatment of children with sensorimotor deficits. Considering individuals with cerebral palsy, reflexes are often more intense than reactions of rectification and equilibrium, causing, therefore, a delay or obstacle in cervical, torso and hip control. This delay has as a consequence an impact on the Stomatognathic System.

[Factors associated to oral feeding transition in preterm infants].

Background: Oral feeding is one of the most complicated tasks for a preterm infant to achieve.

Aim: To identify the factors associated with the start and extension (time) of oral feeding transition in preterm infants.

Method: 40 preterm infants born with gestational ages of 34 weeks and 6 days maximum.