scholarly journals The effectiveness of semantic intervention for word-finding difficulties in college-aged students (16–19 years) with persistent Language Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 239694151987078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Campbell ◽  
Hilary Nicoll ◽  
Susan H Ebbels
Keyword(s):  
Language Disorder ◽  
Baseline Period ◽  
Equal Length ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Intervention Period ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
College Aged Students

Background and aims Little evidence exists for the effectiveness of intervention for older adolescents and young adults with language disorders, particularly for those over 16 years. This study involves college-aged students aged 16–19 years with Language Disorder and Word-Finding Difficulties and investigates whether progress in word finding following 1:1 semantic intervention is greater than progress during a baseline period as measured by a standardised test. Methods Twenty-five college-aged students (20 males and 5 females) with Language Disorder and Word-Finding Difficulties (aged 16;4–18;4 years) participated in a single baseline design study comparing progress on the Test of Adolescent and Adult Word Finding during an intervention period with progress during a baseline period of equal length. Intervention was focused on semantics of different words from those in the Test of Adolescent and Adult Word Finding and was delivered 1:1 by the participants’ usual Speech and Language Therapist, 30 minutes per week, for eight weeks. Results The participants made significant progress in raw score on the Test of Adolescent and Adult Word Finding during both the baseline ( d = 1.4) and intervention ( d = 2.5) periods, but progress during the intervention period was significantly greater than during the baseline period ( d = 1.16). Individual data showed reliable change for five participants during the baseline period and for 20 participants during the intervention period. At the start of the study, all participants had standard scores below 85, but after intervention, 10/25 participants scored above 85. Conclusions Four hours of semantic intervention led to significantly greater gains on a standardised test of word finding than during a baseline period of equal length in 16–19 year olds with Language Disorder and Word-Finding Difficulties. The words in the standardised test had not been included in the intervention, indicating generalised gains. Implications This study shows that intervention (at least for Word-Finding Difficulties) can be effective for this older age group of college-aged students with Language Disorder and therefore the effectiveness of Speech and Language Therapy services for this age group in a wider range of areas of language should also be investigated.

scholarly journals Computerised speech and language therapy or attention control added to usual care for people with long-term post-stroke aphasia: the Big CACTUS three-arm RCT

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (19) ◽  
pp. 1-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Palmer ◽  
Munyaradzi Dimairo ◽  
Nicholas Latimer ◽  
Elizabeth Cross ◽  
Marian Brady ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life Year ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life

Background People with aphasia may improve their communication with speech and language therapy many months/years after stroke. However, NHS speech and language therapy reduces in availability over time post stroke. Objective This trial evaluated the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of self-managed computerised speech and language therapy to provide additional therapy. Design A pragmatic, superiority, single-blind, parallel-group, individually randomised (stratified block randomisation, stratified by word-finding severity and site) adjunct trial. Setting Twenty-one UK NHS speech and language therapy departments. Participants People with post-stroke aphasia (diagnosed by a speech and language therapist) with long-standing (> 4 months) word-finding difficulties. Interventions The groups were (1) usual care; (2) daily self-managed computerised word-finding therapy tailored by speech and language therapists and supported by volunteers/speech and language therapy assistants for 6 months plus usual care (computerised speech and language therapy); and (3) activity/attention control (completion of puzzles and receipt of telephone calls from a researcher for 6 months) plus usual care. Main outcome measures Co-primary outcomes – change in ability to find treated words of personal relevance in a bespoke naming test (impairment) and change in functional communication in conversation rated on the activity scale of the Therapy Outcome Measures (activity) 6 months after randomisation. A key secondary outcome was participant-rated perception of communication and quality of life using the Communication Outcomes After Stroke questionnaire at 6 months. Outcomes were assessed by speech and language therapists using standardised procedures. Cost-effectiveness was estimated using treatment costs and an accessible EuroQol-5 Dimensions, five-level version, measuring quality-adjusted life-years. Results A total of 818 patients were assessed for eligibility and 278 participants were randomised between October 2014 and August 2016. A total of 240 participants (86 usual care, 83 computerised speech and language therapy, 71 attention control) contributed to modified intention-to-treat analysis at 6 months. The mean improvements in word-finding were 1.1% (standard deviation 11.2%) for usual care, 16.4% (standard deviation 15.3%) for computerised speech and language therapy and 2.4% (standard deviation 8.8%) for attention control. Computerised speech and language therapy improved word-finding 16.2% more than usual care did (95% confidence interval 12.7% to 19.6%; p < 0.0001) and 14.4% more than attention control did (95% confidence interval 10.8% to 18.1%). Most of this effect was maintained at 12 months (n = 219); the mean differences in change in word-finding score were 12.7% (95% confidence interval 8.7% to 16.7%) higher in the computerised speech and language therapy group (n = 74) than in the usual-care group (n = 84) and 9.3% (95% confidence interval 4.8% to 13.7%) higher in the computerised speech and language therapy group than in the attention control group (n = 61). Computerised speech and language therapy did not show significant improvements on the Therapy Outcome Measures or Communication Outcomes After Stroke scale compared with usual care or attention control. Primary cost-effectiveness analysis estimated an incremental cost per participant of £732.73 (95% credible interval £674.23 to £798.05). The incremental quality-adjusted life-year gain was 0.017 for computerised speech and language therapy compared with usual care, but its direction was uncertain (95% credible interval –0.05 to 0.10), resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £42,686 per quality-adjusted life-year gained. For mild and moderate word-finding difficulty subgroups, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were £22,371 and £28,898 per quality-adjusted life-year gained, respectively, for computerised speech and language therapy compared with usual care. Limitations This trial excluded non-English-language speakers, the accessible EuroQol-5 Dimensions, five-level version, was not validated and the measurement of attention control fidelity was limited. Conclusions Computerised speech and language therapy enabled additional self-managed speech and language therapy, contributing to significant improvement in finding personally relevant words (as specifically targeted by computerised speech and language therapy) long term post stroke. Gains did not lead to improvements in conversation or quality of life. Cost-effectiveness is uncertain owing to uncertainty around the quality-adjusted life-year gain, but computerised speech and language therapy may be more cost-effective for participants with mild and moderate word-finding difficulties. Exploring ways of helping people with aphasia to use new words in functional communication contexts is a priority. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN68798818. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 19. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia provided additional support to enable people in the control groups to experience the intervention after the trial had ended.

Mobile Multimedia for Speech and Language Therapy

2011 ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Nina Reeves ◽  
Sally Jo Cunningham ◽  
Laura Jefferies ◽  
Catherine Harris
Keyword(s):  
Multimedia Applications ◽  
Mobile Multimedia ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
Assessment And Monitoring ◽  
Spoken Language Skills ◽  
Drill And Practice

Aphasia is a speech disorder usually caused by stroke or head injury (Armstrong, 1993). Related communication difficulties can include word finding, speaking, listening, writing, and using numbers (FAST, 2004). It is most commonly acquired by people at middle age or older, as a result of stroke or other brain injury. Speech and language therapy is “the process of enabling people to communicate to the best of their ability” (RCSLT, 2004). Treatment, advice, and support are provided based on assessment and monitoring activities that conventionally are carried out in face-to-face sessions. This chapter considers issues in providing technology to continue to support aphasic patients between therapy sessions, through multimedia applications for drill-and-practice in vocalizing speech sounds. Existing paper therapy aids are generally designed to be used under the guidance of a therapist. Multimedia applications enable people with aphasia to practise spoken language skills independently between sessions, and mobile multimedia speech and language therapy devices offer still greater promise for blending treatment and support into an aphasic person’s daily life.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of 1:1 speech and language therapy for older children with (developmental) language disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 528-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan H. Ebbels ◽  
Lisa Wright ◽  
Sally Brockbank ◽  
Caroline Godfrey ◽  
Catherine Harris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Disorder ◽  
Developmental Language Disorder ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy

Mobile Multimedia for Speech and Language Therapy

2009 ◽  
pp. 3529-3539
Author(s):  
Nina Reeves ◽  
Sally Jo Cunningham ◽  
Laura Jefferies ◽  
Catherine Harris
Keyword(s):  
Multimedia Applications ◽  
Mobile Multimedia ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
Communication Difficulties ◽  
Assessment And Monitoring ◽  
Spoken Language Skills

Aphasia is a speech disorder usually caused by stroke or head injury (Armstrong; 1993). Related communication difficulties can include word finding; speaking; listening; writing; and using numbers (FAST; 2004). It is most commonly acquired by people at middle age or older; as a result of stroke or other brain injury. Speech and language therapy is “the process of enabling people to communicate to the best of their ability” (RCSLT; 2004). Treatment; advice; and support are provided based on assessment and monitoring activities that conventionally are carried out in face-to-face sessions. This chapter considers issues in providing technology to continue to support aphasic patients between therapy sessions; through multimedia applications for drill-andpractice in vocalizing speech sounds. Existing paper therapy aids are generally designed to be used under the guidance of a therapist. Multimedia applications enable people with aphasia to practise spoken language skills independently between sessions; and mobile multimedia speech and language therapy devices offer still greater promise for blending treatment and support into an aphasic person’s daily life.

scholarly journals Specialist provision for language disorder: Staff and service user views of a preschool language unit

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-111
Author(s):  
Hannah Harvey ◽  
Sarah Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Service User ◽  
Language Disorder ◽  
Language Disorders ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Preschool Language ◽  
Parent Questionnaires

Language units are specialist educational settings that provide integrated speech and language therapy and curriculum delivery for children with severe language disorders within mainstream schools. This study presents an account of a preschool language unit (PLU) from the perspectives of children with language disorders currently in attendance, their parents, and teaching staff. Six child-led, multi-modal interviews, six parent questionnaires, and interviews with three members of staff were analysed using Framework Analysis (Ritchie et al., 2003). Results showed that staff and parents perceive that attending the PLU positively impacts the children, but raised concerns that accessing PLUs can be difficult due to number restrictions. Children valued play and friendships within the PLU, while parents valued the PLU’s role in supporting communication and socialization. This study offers a unique account of how a PLU supports children with language disorders from the perspectives of children, parents and staff.

Neurologic Music Therapy for Speech and Language Rehabilitation

2018 ◽  
pp. 714-737
Author(s):  
Yune S. Lee ◽  
Corene Thaut ◽  
Charlene Santoni
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Language Disorder ◽  
Apraxia Of Speech ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Sensory Deficits ◽  
Therapeutic Protocols ◽  
Neurologic Music Therapy

This chapter examines the connection between music and speech, and points out areas of intersection relative to the mechanisms guiding their practice, application, and execution. This work also investigates the role of neurologic music therapy as a developmental, remedial, and rehabilitative protocol in the area of speech and language. In order to operationalize findings, the chapter is divided into sections by speech and language disorder: dysarthria, apraxia of speech, aphasia, fluency, sensory deficits, voice disorders, and dyslexia. Literature is provided hereafter outlining the premise for music prescription relative to the aforementioned areas, as well as areas of speech and language therapy wherein music discernibly exists as a fundamental construct in various therapeutic protocols; the practice of singing being a main area of concentration. The review provides an overview of related research and outlines areas in preliminary stages of investigation.

Oxygen radicals participate in alloxan-induced pulmonary EDEMA

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-299
Author(s):  
Tomoo Kawada ◽  
Michio Arakawa ◽  
Kenjiro Kambara ◽  
Takashi Segawa ◽  
Fumio Ando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Edema ◽  
Oxygen Radicals ◽  
Bolus Injection ◽  
Physiological Saline ◽  
Baseline Period ◽  
Alveolar Epithelial Cells ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Intervention Period ◽  
Lung Water ◽  
Electron Microscopic

We know that alloxan causes increased-permeability pulmonary edema and that alloxan generates oxygen radicals (H2O2, O2−, ·OH) in blood. Therefore, we hypothesize that alloxan-generated oxygen radicals damage pulmonary capillary endothelial cells, and, possibly, alveolar epithelial cells as well. We examined whether oxygen radical scavengers, such as catalase or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), protected against alloxaninduced pulmonary edema.Five dogs in each following group were anesthetized: control group: physiological saline (20ml/kg/h); alloxan group: physiological saline + alloxan (75mg/kg) bolus injection at the beginning of the experiment; catalase group: physiological saline + catalase (150,000u/kg) bolus injection before injection of alloxan; DMSO group: physiological saline + DMSO (0.4mg/kg) bolus injection before alloxan. All dogs had 30-min baseline period and 3-h intervention period. Hemodynamics and circulating substances were measured at the specific points of time. At the end of intervention period, the dogs were killed and had the lungs removed for electron microscopic study and lung water measurement with direct destructive method.

Qualitative Examination of Children's Naming Skills through Test Adaptations

1987 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Fried-Oken
Keyword(s):  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Language Disorder ◽  
Treatment Goals ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Qualitative Information ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
Confrontation Naming ◽  
Naming Test

A new procedure entitled the Double Administration Naming Technique is proposed to assist the clinician in obtaining qualitative information about a client's visual confrontation naming skills. It involves the administration of the standard naming test followed by a readministration of the instrument. A series of naming cues then are presented. By examining the number and types of naming errors produced during the two test presentations, the clinician distinguishes word-finding problems from expressive vocabulary limitations and qualitatively describes the language disorder. The cues that facilitate correct naming are used to plan effective treatment goals.

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