Motherese, affect, and vocabulary development: dyadic communicative interactions in infants and toddlers

AbstractResponsive parental communication during an infant's first year has been positively associated with later language outcomes. This study explores responsivity in mother–infant communication by modeling how change in guiding language between 7 and 11 months influences toddler vocabulary development. In a group of 32 mother–child dyads, change in early maternal guiding language positively predicted child language outcomes measured at 18 and 24 months. In contrast, a number of other linguistic variables – including total utterances and non-guiding language – did not correlate with toddler vocabulary development, suggesting a critical role of responsive change in infant-directed communication. We further assessed whether maternal affect during early communication influenced toddler vocabulary outcomes, finding that dominant affect during early mother–infant communications correlated to lower child language outcomes. These findings provide evidence that responsive parenting should not only be assessed longitudinally, but unique contributions of language and affect should also be concurrently considered in future study.

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Brain Tumor Biobank Development for Precision Medicine: Role of the Neurosurgeon

Frontiers in Oncology ◽

10.3389/fonc.2021.662260 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Emilie Darrigues ◽

Benjamin W. Elberson ◽

Annick De Loose ◽

Madison P. Lee ◽

Ebonye Green ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Tumor ◽

Next Generation Sequencing ◽

Precision Medicine ◽

Critical Role ◽

First Year ◽

Histopathological Diagnosis ◽

Next Generation ◽

Cancer Predisposition Syndrome ◽

Generation Sequencing

Neuro-oncology biobanks are critical for the implementation of a precision medicine program. In this perspective, we review our first year experience of a brain tumor biobank with integrated next generation sequencing. From our experience, we describe the critical role of the neurosurgeon in diagnosis, research, and precision medicine efforts. In the first year of implementation of the biobank, 117 patients (Female: 62; Male: 55) had 125 brain tumor surgeries. 75% of patients had tumors biobanked, and 16% were of minority race/ethnicity. Tumors biobanked were as follows: diffuse gliomas (45%), brain metastases (29%), meningioma (21%), and other (5%). Among biobanked patients, 100% also had next generation sequencing. Eleven patients qualified for targeted therapy based on identification of actionable gene mutations. One patient with a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome was also identified. An iterative quality improvement process was implemented to streamline the workflow between the operating room, pathology, and the research laboratory. Dedicated tumor bank personnel in the department of neurosurgery greatly improved standard operating procedure. Intraoperative selection and processing of tumor tissue by the neurosurgeon was integral to increasing success with cell culture assays. Currently, our institutional protocol integrates standard histopathological diagnosis, next generation sequencing, and functional assays on surgical specimens to develop precision medicine protocols for our patients. This perspective reviews the critical role of neurosurgeons in brain tumor biobank implementation and success as well as future directions for enhancing precision medicine efforts.

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Perception of invisible masked objects in early infancy

10.1101/2021.02.15.431195 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yusuke Nakashima ◽

So Kanazawa ◽

Masami K. Yamaguchi

Keyword(s):

Visual Perception ◽

Visual Information ◽

Critical Role ◽

Early Infancy ◽

First Year ◽

Backward Masking ◽

Recurrent Processing ◽

First Year Of Life ◽

Visual Backward Masking

AbstractRecurrent loops in the visual cortex play a critical role in visual perception, which is likely not mediated by purely feedforward pathways. However, the development of recurrent loops is poorly understood. The role of recurrent processing has been studied using visual backward masking, a perceptual phenomenon in which a visual stimulus is rendered invisible by a following mask, possibly because of the disruption of recurrent processing. Anatomical studies have reported that recurrent pathways are immature in early infancy. This raises the possibility that younger infants process visual information mainly in a feedforward manner, and thus, they might be able to perceive visual stimuli that adults cannot see because of backward masking. Here, we show that infants under 7 months of age are immune to visual backward masking and that masked stimuli remain visible to younger infants while older infants cannot perceive them. These results suggest that recurrent processing is immature in infants under 7 months and that they are able to perceive objects even without recurrent processing. Our findings indicate that the algorithm for visual perception drastically changes in the second half of the first year of life.

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The Critical Role of Vocabulary Development for English Language Learners

Learning Disabilities Research and Practice ◽

10.1111/j.1540-5826.2005.00120.x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 50-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 283

Author(s):

Diane August ◽

Maria Carlo ◽

Cheryl Dressler ◽

Catherine Snow

Keyword(s):

English Language Learners ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Critical Role ◽

Vocabulary Development

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Maternal question use and child language outcomes: The moderating role of children's vocabulary skills and socioeconomic status

Early Childhood Research Quarterly ◽

10.1016/j.ecresq.2021.11.007 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 59 ◽

pp. 109-120

Author(s):

Rufan Luo ◽

Lillian R. Masek ◽

Rebecca M. Alper ◽

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Child Language ◽

Language Outcomes ◽

Vocabulary Skills ◽

Moderating Role

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INTEGRATING LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN A MULTI-SEMESTER SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION DESIGN PROJECT FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS DURING A PANDEMIC

Proceedings of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA) ◽

10.24908/pceea.vi0.14886 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Libby Osgood ◽

Nadja Bressan

Keyword(s):

Prince Edward Island ◽

Critical Role ◽

Project Selection ◽

Learning Objectives ◽

First Year ◽

First Year Students ◽

First Semester ◽

Design Project ◽

Selection For

Project selection for first-year design courses can be complicated by the limited skill level of students in their first semester of an engineering program and the scalability required for multiple sections and large classes. Additionally, the project must address the course's learning objectives and provide a sense of authenticity to help students understand the role of engineers in society. Afirst-year design course can be seen by students as the ‘introduction to engineering,’ enabling them to decide whether to pursue engineering as a profession or not. In addition to the already taxing demands imposed on a project for a first-year design course, students at the University of Prince Edward Island completed a design project encompassing two engineering courses andcontributed to a scientific research study on bat conservation. Partnering with researchers in the Atlantic Veterinary College, students designed, built, and installed bat houses equipped with sensors to remotely collect temperature, humidity, and the presence of individual bats within the colony. Constructing 21 bat houses promoted conservation efforts of bats across the province and taught students the critical role of engineers in a sustainable society. This paper presents a discussion on project selection for first-year design courses, how the learning objectiveswere met for two first-year design courses during a pandemic, and describe the community partner's role\ throughout the design project.

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Differential responses to child communicative behavior of parents of toddlers with ASD

Autism & Developmental Language Impairments ◽

10.1177/2396941520984892 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 239694152098489

Author(s):

Adrienne M De Froy ◽

Megan E Sims ◽

Benjamin M Sloan ◽

Sebastian A Gajardo ◽

Pamela Rosenthal Rollins

Keyword(s):

Social Skills ◽

Social Development ◽

Child Language ◽

Critical Role ◽

Child Growth ◽

Communicative Behavior ◽

Communicative Behaviors ◽

Parental Responsiveness

Background and aims The quality of parent verbal input—diverse vocabulary that is well-matched to the child’s developmental level within interactions that are responsive to their interests—has been found to positively impact child language skills. For typically developing (TD) children, there is evidence that more advanced linguistic and social development differentially elicits higher quality parent input, suggesting a bidirectional relationship between parent and child. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if toddlers with ASD also differentially elicit parental verbal input by (1) analyzing the quality of parent input to the communicative behavior of their toddlers with ASD, (2) examining if parents respond differentially to more advanced toddler communicative behavior, as measured by the coordination of multiple communicative behaviors, and (3) exploring the relationship between parental responsiveness to child communicative behaviors and change in child communication and social skills. Methods Participants were 77 toddlers with ASD age 18-39 months and a parent who participated in a larger RCT. Ten-minute parent–toddler interactions were recorded prior to a 12-week intervention. Parent response to child communicative behaviors was coded following each child communicative behavior as no acknowledgment, responsive, directive, or nonverbal acknowledgment. Parent number of different words and difference between parent and child MLU in words were calculated separately for responsive and directive parent utterances. Child growth in language and social skills was measured using the Vineland II Communication and Socialization domain scores, respectively. Results (1) Parents were largely responsive to their toddler’s communication. When being responsive (as opposed to directive), parents used a greater number of different words within utterances that were well-matched to child language; (2) when toddlers coordinated communicative behaviors (versus producing an isolated communicative behavior), parents were more likely to respond and their replies were more likely to be responsive; and (3) parent responsiveness to child coordinated communication was significantly correlated with change in Vineland II Socialization but not Communication. A unique role of gaze coordinated child communication in eliciting responsive parental behaviors and improving growth in child social skills emerged. Conclusions Our results support a bidirectional process between responsive parent verbal input and the social development of toddlers with ASD, with less sophisticated child communicative behaviors eliciting lower quality parent input. Implications: Our findings highlight the critical role of early parent-mediated intervention for children with ASD generally, and to enhance eye gaze through parent responsivity more specifically.

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The Role of the SLP in Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening and Assessment

Perspectives on Language Learning and Education ◽

10.1044/lle15.2.50 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 50-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amy Philofsky

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Critical Role ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Prevalence Estimates ◽

Notable Increase ◽

Screening Assessment ◽

Critical Components

AbstractRecent prevalence estimates for autism have been alarming as a function of the notable increase. Speech-language pathologists play a critical role in screening, assessment and intervention for children with autism. This article reviews signs that may be indicative of autism at different stages of language development, and discusses the importance of several psychometric properties—sensitivity and specificity—in utilizing screening measures for children with autism. Critical components of assessment for children with autism are reviewed. This article concludes with examples of intervention targets for children with ASD at various levels of language development.

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