Communication Problems In Children Research Articles

Parents' Perception of the Quality of Life Related to Communication Problems in Children with Developmental Disabilities

Parents' Perception of the Quality of Life Related to Communication Problems in Children with Developmental Disabilities

A scoping review of oral language and social communication abilities in children with Tourette syndrome.

Children with Tourette syndrome (TS) have historically experienced problems in academic and social settings, yet their language and communication abilities have not been extensively researched. This scoping review maps the literature on the oral language and social communication abilities of children with TS in order to describe the nature of the current literature, present a summary of major findings and identify where gaps exist. A scoping review was completed to identify studies measuring the oral language or social communication abilities of children with TS. A systematic search of six electronic databases was conducted to obtain published and unpublished literature. All English studies measuring the oral language or social communication abilities of children with TS were included. Information was extracted from records and knowledge was synthesised in a narrative summary. We identified 56 records for inclusion. Almost all records were located in journals within the fields of psychology and psychiatry. Skills most often studied were verbal IQ and verbal fluency. The literature suggests an increased prevalence of language disorders and social communication problems in children with TS; however, literature comprehensively detailing these challenges was scarce. Language strengths were identified in verbal intelligence, story/sentence recall, categorisation and performance on tasks at the single-word level. Oral language and social communication skills are important for academic and social success. This review brings scattered literature together to provide up-to-date information about language in children with TS and highlights that there are considerable gaps in our knowledge about language and communication in this population. This scoping review can inform future research and support speech language pathologists in the assessment of young people with TS. What is already known on the subject Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in various contexts (e.g., schools, mental health teams) are likely to encounter children with Tourette syndrome (TS); however, the description of this population and potential communication characteristics is not well represented in the SLP literature. Previous literature reviews have reported strengths in verbal fluency and morphological processing. Challenges in expressive language, higher order language, social cognitionand a propensity towards autistic traits have also been identified. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This review differs from previous narrative reviews by employing a systematic approach to searching for literature. As a result, we identified 25 additional studies that had not been cited in previous reviews and additional relevant findings in 23 previously reviewed studies. This review confirms several previous conclusions about language in children with TS and extends or clarifies several others, thereby providing the most current information on oral language and social communication abilities. The use of current taxonomies of language and social communication helps to organise this literature for clinicians and researchers in speech-language pathology and identifies a need for further research from the SLP perspective. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? These results imply that SLPs should screen children with TS for language disorders and investigate social communication and social interaction development. Clinicians can expect greater challenges in language and communication development for children with complex forms of TS (i.e., those who exhibit co-occurring conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). The multidisciplinary nature of the current literature implies that clinical collaboration with other disciplines will be of particular benefit to serving this group of children.

The development of a parent report instrument of early communication and language skills of infants and toddlers in mainland China.

This study was designed to produce a new parent-report measure, the Diagnostic Receptive Expressive Assessment of Mandarin-Infant Toddler Assessment of Communication and Language (DREAM-IT) in order to provide norms for the developmental skills of children aged 0-36 months in four areas: expressive language, receptive language, cognitive play and social skills. The scale was designed to be both broader and deeper than existing instruments that neglect one or more of these significant domains involved in early language. Items were chosen by a group of specialists with clinical experience working with the age group and with attention to the developmental literature. Caregivers were tested individually by a trained person who asked the questions and provided examples. In addition to an extensive health questionnaire, caregivers answered questions in Mandarin about their child's behaviour using a scale of 'not yet', 'sometimes' or 'always' or listing out words and/or sounds understood or said by the child. The 476 participating caregivers were recruited at maternal and child healthcare clinics centred in Chengdu, China, 191 of whom were tested a second time seven months later. The children were sampled in three-month age-bands from 0 to 36 months. The sample was balanced for child gender by age band, and parental education was balanced. Caregivers of 0-24-month-old children and caregivers of 12-36 months were each asked a different set of questions, to determine the appropriate age range and cutoff points for each question, requiring the sample size to be doubled for children aged 12-24 months. The results were subject to item-response theory analysis to remove outlying items, and the resulting internal reliability was high for each domain (average Cronbach's alpha=0.87). The final instrument (between 67 and 113 questions in total) was refined to include the least redundant questions that had the highest intercorrelations, with attention paid to coverage of all domains across the age range. Two scales were developed: one for children 0-18 months, the second for children aged 18-36 months. The longitudinal design permitted the creation of growth curves and norms for each domain for six-month intervals from 0 to 36 months. A small sample of 32 parents of children with Down syndrome aged 18-36 months provided validation that the scales are highly sensitive to developmental delay. The instrument shows considerable promise for detecting early communication problems in children in China. What is already known on the subject In China, efforts were made in recent years to develop language assessments for infants and toddlers, but limitations existed with the domains included and number of items included per age group. Many clinical practitioners also continued to rely on language subtests of general developmental scales, which were limited in depth and breadth of language skills tested and were never intended for diagnosis of language delay. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This paper discusses the development of a valid caregiver report instrument for early communication and language skills of infants and toddlers in mainland China. The Diagnostic Receptive Expressive Assessment of Mandarin-Infant Toddler (DREAM-IT) includes foundational domains necessary for language and communication development in young children (receptive language, expressive language, cognitive play and social communication domains). The results show strong internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha) for each domain on a sample of 716 children sampled in three-month age bands from 0 to 36 months. The external validity proved strong when tested on a group of 32 young children with Down syndrome. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Besides helping to inform the diagnosis of language delays in infants and toddlers in China, the caregiver report instrument has special features to support clinical practitioners in a field that is just emerging in China. The unique support features include the automatic generation of a profile of relative strengths and weaknesses of the child on the report and the recommendation of child-specific caregiver coaching videos on a companion app.

The impact of parental postnatal depression on the development of speech and language

Speech, language and communication problems in children can affect their social and emotional development, and poor parental mental health can have an impact on the whole family, including parents' ability to bond with their baby. This article will explore the role of the health visitor in identifying family needs to support the development of speech, language and communication in childhood, through analytical examination and appraisal of child development theories and literature, and how postnatal depression can affect children's speech and language development.

The effect of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on the onset of speech disorders and communication problems in children and adolescents

Alcohol consumption has many negative effects on the human body, and has been proven to have teratogenic effects on fetal development. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with growth deficits and neurodevelopmental disorders, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Despite such effects, there are still many women who do not give up the consumption of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy. This article, based on a review of available studies on PubMed, examines whether prenatal alcohol exposure can cause problems in children's speech development and promote communication problems in children, as well as in adolescents. Longitudinal observations on prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have shown that children up to the age of 3 after PAE have difficulties in receptive or expressive communication compared to a group not prenatally exposed to alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to be the overriding factor causing disorders in the development of the brain and nervous system, which are the main structures responsible for the process of speech development and also the formation of communication skills. Studies among adolescents with PAE have shown that they have weaker spoken and written language skills than those without PAE or with low PAE. This also translates into difficulties in developing their communication skills, which can make it much more difficult for them to become independent and move smoothly through the difficult period of adolescence.

Alternative Augmentative Communication "Wofal" for Children with Down Syndrome

This research is motivated by the existence of communication problems in children with Down syndrome. Communication problems on the subject are related to the use of language in their environment. The data obtained from the subject's parents, teachers and tutors experienced problems in expressing their own desires. The purpose of this study is to help subjects communicate with their environment. Communication uses tools that are made based on the needs and abilities of the current subject. The tool created is called "Wofal". This tool is in the form of modified images with an attractive shape and easy to use subjects. The first stage of using the tool introduces the images that the subject will use in communicating. Second, the subject was asked to stick to his wishes and choose an image. The picture consists of the subjects' daily activities at home and at school. After intervention to the subject, the results were obtained. According to teachers, parents and tutors, this tool makes it easier for subjects to communicate. Usually teachers, tutors and parents do not understand what the subject wants. After this tool the crying behavior of the subject became less. So, this tool makes it easier for subjects to communicate in their environment.

Communication between Children with Deafness, Blindness and Deafblindness and their Social Partners: An Intersubjective Developmental Perspective

Trevarthen’s theory of innate intersubjectivity is relevant to understanding communication problems in children with sensory disabilities. Trevarthen and Aitken used the term “intersubjectivity” to describe “the ability of humans to detect and change each other’s minds and behavior”. When children lack auditory and/or visual means of interaction, they may not be able to fully develop intersubjectivity, which impedes the development of more complex interpersonal communication. This article presents a review of 31 studies about intersubjectivity in children with sensory disabilities. The results indicate that the intersubjective development of children with sensory disabilities is often delayed. The studies also describe similar strategies for mediating intersubjectivity in children with sensory disabilities and in typical children, but say that specific adaptations may be needed. From an intersubjectivity perspective, symbolic communication delays in children with sensory disabilities may be improved through specific, purposeful forms of social interaction.

Prévalence des problèmes de la communication chez des enfants négligés âgés de moins de trois ans

Estimate the prevalence of communication problems in children under three taken into care by Youth Centres in Quebec for negligence. Prevalence is calculated for the pragmatic aspect, receptive and expressive language, according to age and sex.This is a cross-sectional study. A representative sample of 84 children was drawn consecutively from the lists of new children registered at the Youth Centres.46.4% of the children present a problem in at least one area of communication. The prevalence and seriousness of the problems increase significantly with age. Boys are significantly more affected than girls.Negligence constitutes a threat to the development of communication. According to the data reported in this study, there is substantial justification for early intervention, promotion and prevention programs with regard to communication problems among neglected children.

Language Intervention in Early Childhood

Developments in early intervention have paralleled those in early language intervention. Such parallels are not surprising given that general early childhood special education and language intervention practices have been influenced by the same theories of development and learning. In addition, because of the importance of communication to learning and academic achievement, and the prevalence of communication problems in children with special needs, language intervention has been fundamental to early intervention services and, reciprocally, language intervention practices have been challenged as a result of changes in early childhood services. In light of this relationship, this paper provides a focus on developments in language intervention within a framework of early intervention.

Brief report: interpretation of facial expressions, postures and gestures in children with a pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.

Children who do not meet strict criteria for autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome and who show less severe, but clinically relevant, social interactive and communicative problems, are often described as having a pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS; DSM-III-R (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1987; DSM-IV [APA], 1994). In both DSM-III-R and DSM-FV, the criteria for this category are broad and mainly negatively described. The lack of specific and positively formulated criteria seriously impedes research on this clinically relevant group of children. Several groups described in the literature might meet DSM-IH-R or DSM-IV criteria for PDD-NOS, namely, the "over-formal, stilted" group described by Wing (1988, 1996), a group of children with problems in motor control, attention, and perception (DAMP) described by Gillberg (1983), children with Multiplex Developmental Disorders (Cohen, Paul, & Volkmar, 1987), or children with nonverbal learning disabilities (Rourke, 1989). Children in all these groups may differ in the range of associated symptoms shown (motor or perceptual problems, attentional deficits, anxiety, or specific learning problems), but seem to have in common that they all experience autistic-like problems in social interaction, verbal, or nonverbal communication. Recently, several authors have assumed, that the social-interactive and communication problems of children with "autistic spectrum disorders" (including

Undetected communication problems in children with behavioural problems.

There is an increasing amount of evidence for links between emotional and behavioural problems and communication difficulties. Many children who hav emotional and behavioural problems also have communication difficulties (Cohen and Lipsett 1991, Benaisch et al. 1993) and children who have communication difficulties are more likely to develop psychiatric illness than their peers (Cantwell and Baker 1985). More importantly there are many children with emotional and behavioural problems who have undiagnosed speech and language difficulties. These have been found in child psychiatric populations (Cohen, et al 1993) and special educational settings (Burgess and Bransby 1990). This paper reports on a small-scale study which found undetected communication problems in children looked after by the local authority. The implications for these children are explored.

Thought Disorder and Communication Problems in Children With Schizophrenia Spectrum and Depressive Disorders and Their Parents

Examined thought disorder and communication patterns in children with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorders) and their parents and in a comparison group of children with major depressive disorders and their parents. Children with schizophrenia spectrum disorders exhibited significantly more disturbed attention and thought disorder than did depressed children during a family interaction task. Although parents of children with schizophrenia spectrum disorders showed higher rates of communication deviance (CD) on the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)-CD index than parents of depressed children, the two groups of parents were similar in the communication patterns and levels of thought disorder they exhibited during the interaction task. These findings underscore the salience of thought disorder, communication disturbance, and attentional problems in schizophrenic and schizotypal children.

Listening and talking to patients. V: Communicating with children.

Ours is a period when the spread of communication has become almost explosive?pulling the communication cord is not what it was. I find it surprising that paediatricians have not been in the forefront medically. We might have been expected to be, if only because we explore tentatively the learning difficulties of children and witness the near miraculous speed with which normal and most abnormal children overcome them. The difficulties have been daunting but there is plenty of evidence that the communication problems of children are being pene trated both in theory and in daily practice. Communication should not be thought of only in terms of the child who can obviously hear and speak. The unborn baby is certainly sharing communication of a sort when he moves or kicks violently in response to an external stimulus. The newborn infant can hardly wait to communicate if given a chance; we have only to observe mother-child eye fixation, the child's response to the mother's cuddling and cooing, the mother's reactions to her baby's smile to recognise that a two-way form of communication is in action. Handicapped children pose further problems. At the other extreme of childhood we can detect an opposite trend, a decrease in communication. This is not uncommon even in the normal adolescent. The adolescent iron curtain comes down. Communication with adults slows down and may stop altogether. These troubled adolescents for a time become isolated from adults and dominated by their peers.