Search Results (142)

Background/Objectives: Children with perinatal HIV (PHIV) are more at risk for hearing loss than HIV-unexposed (HU) children. Due to medical advances maternal HIV transmission to newborns is decreasing, but in children with perinatal HIV exposure, uninfected (PHEU) is increasing. The objectives were to evaluate (1) pure-tone audiometry and cochlear and auditory neural function in children with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV), children with perinatal HIV exposure but uninfected (PHEU), and HIV-unexposed (HU) children and (2) differences in hearing measures for children with PHIV according to HIV disease severity. Methods: Three hundred and thirty-three children (105 PHIV [58 girls, 47 boys], 101 PHEU [51 girls, 50 boys], and 127 HU [65 girls, 62 boys]), aged 11–14 years, completed a hearing assessment that included a hearing-related questionnaire, otoscopy, tympanometry, pure-tone thresholds, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) for cochlear function, and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) for neural function. Results: Pure-tone thresholds, DPOAE, and ABR measures were similar in the three groups. Children with PHIV had a higher prevalence of hearing loss compared to children with PHEU and HU children. Children with PHIV and greater historical HIV disease severity had similar hearing, DPOAEs, and ABRs to those with lesser HIV disease severity. Conclusions: In utero HIV acquisition or HIV exposure might not affect the cochlear and neural function up to the level of the brainstem. Children with PHIV had a higher prevalence of hearing loss; it is possible there is a difference in central auditory processing across the three groups of children. Hearing loss identification is important since it may impact social and educational development. Full article

The brain in healthy adults shows language localization in the left hemisphere, and the evidence from the literature supports neural plasticity after traumatic injuries. What happens if an injury occurs early in brain development? How does early unilateral brain damage affect a child’s ability to acquire language? Evidence regarding language development after early unilateral brain damage is mixed. Therefore, this case report aims to present the language and cognitive status at the age of seven in a child who suffered a left-sided arterial presumed perinatal ischemic stroke (APPIS), with reference to her MRI findings. As part of her ongoing rehabilitation, she has received continuous speech therapy since age four and physiotherapy since six months of age. The current evaluation provides insights into long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes following early brain injury, highlighting the variability in clinical outcomes and considering the potential for functional restitution. Full article

The shift from syntagmatic to paradigmatic associations is a developmental process occurring from approximately the ages of six to nine years and plays an important role in language development. Syntagmatic relationships refer to words that co-occur due to their mutual dependency connection (e.g., “The dog barks”). Paradigmatic relationships are words within the same category (e.g., cat, kitten). In Study 1, we tested 244 Spanish-English bilingual children in grades 1 to 3 (M age = 7.87 years, 54.5% female) enrolled in dual language programs in California, USA. Children completed a matching task in both English and Spanish featuring both syntagmatic and paradigmatic lexical associations. Results showed significantly higher accuracy for older students than for younger students, higher accuracy in English than in Spanish for both paradigmatic and syntagmatic associations, and higher accuracy in paradigmatic associations in English and syntagmatic associations in Spanish. In Study 2, we conducted cognitive interviews with a separate sample of 13 Spanish-English bilingual children (M age = 8.96 years, 46.15% female) to explore how they reasoned through their word pair choices when completing the task. Children primarily relied on paradigmatic associations, using strategies like synonymy, antonymy, and category overlap, while also employing syntagmatic associations and thematic relatedness as less frequent but important reasoning strategies. Implications for early language development are discussed. Full article

Does the head tilt observed in many domesticated dogs index lateralized language processing? To answer this question, the present study evaluated household dogs responding to four conditions in which owners provided an increasing number of communicative cues. These cues ranged from no communicative/affective cues to rich affective cues coupled with dog-directed speech. Dogs’ facial responses were first coded manually using the Dog Facial Action Coding System (DogFACS), followed by an in-depth investigation of head tilt behavior, in which AI-based automated analysis of head tilt and audio analysis of acoustic features extracted from communicative cues were implemented. In a sample of 103 dogs representing seven breed groups and mixed-breed dogs, we found significant differences in the number of head tilts occurring between conditions, with the most communicative (last) condition eliciting the most head tilts. There were also significant differences in the direction of the head tilts and between sex groups. Dogs were more likely to tilt their heads to the right, and neutered male dogs were more likely to tilt their heads than spayed female dogs. The right-tilt bias is consistent with left-hemisphere language processing in humans, with males processing language in a more lateralized manner, and females processing language more bilaterally—a pattern also observed in humans. Understanding the canine brain is important to both evolutionary research through a comparative lens, and in understanding our interspecies relationship. Full article

Bosch–Boonstra–Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS) is an extremely rare neurological condition caused by a disruption in the NR2F-1 gene. The most common clinical features are optic atrophy and intellectual and developmental delay. This case report aims to describe the cognitive and language profile of a six-year-old girl diagnosed with BBSOAS, with a focus on the syndrome’s impact on her developmental outcomes. A detailed assessment of her cognitive and speech–language abilities is provided. Given the limited number of published case studies on BBSOAS, this report integrates relevant findings from the literature, including information on epidemiology, diagnostics, clinical manifestations, and developmental outcomes. It contributes to the expansion of the known mutational spectrum of BBSOAS, in addition to documenting its phenotypic presentation of cognitive and speech–language development. The case is analyzed within the context of current evidence, emphasizing the importance of early assessment, individualized intervention, ongoing developmental monitoring, and the potential for tailored support to promote optimal developmental outcomes. Full article

Background: Adrenal insufficiency has been recognized as a condition linked to petrified ear. To further explore this issue, we conducted a review of the literature. Methods: The study was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines after pre-registration. Excerpta Medica, the National Library of Medicine, and Web of Science databases without language restrictions were used. Inclusion criteria comprised adrenal insufficiency and the presence of petrified ear. Data extraction included demographics, clinical and laboratory features, and outcome. Results: Thirty-six reports were identified, encompassing 40 cases: 38 males and 2 females, aged between 22 and 79 years. All cases exhibited bilateral petrified ears, with 18 cases of primary adrenal insufficiency and 20 cases of central insufficiency. The type of adrenal insufficiency was not specified in two cases. Sixteen patients had concurrent endocrine disorders. In primary adrenal insufficiency, petrified ear was typically (N = 13; 72%) detected two or more years after the endocrine diagnosis. In central adrenal insufficiency, auricular calcification was identified either prior to or at the time (N = 17; 85%) of the endocrine diagnosis. Petrified ear was never associated with hearing impairment and never improved with therapy. Conclusions: In adrenal insufficiency, petrified ear is always bilateral, affects adult males, occurs in both primary and central forms of the disease and does not improve on therapy. In primary insufficiency, this feature is mostly observed two years after the endocrine diagnosis, whereas in central cases, it is identified before or concurrently with the endocrine diagnosis. Full article

Background/Objectives: Although research has demonstrated the positive impacts of hearing aid (HA) digital noise reduction (DNR), limited research is available on the impacts of the strength of DNR on listening effort. This study evaluated the effects of changes in the strength of HA DNR on listening effort, measured, behaviorally, using a self-report rating scale, and, physiologically, using pupillometry. The agreement between both measures was also examined. Methods: Eleven young adults with normal hearing completed a sentence-in-noise recognition task. Stimuli were processed through four noise reduction conditions (off, minimum, medium, maximum) using DNR algorithms found in conventional digital HAs. After sentence presentation, participants subjectively rated their perceived listening effort. Pupillometry was recorded during the task to assess changes in pupil size (a proxy of listening effort) during sentence recognition. Results: Participants’ perceived listening effort reduced as the noise reduction strength increased from off to medium DNR and then plateaued for the maximum DNR condition. Pupil dilation increased from off to medium DNR and then reduced for the maximum condition. Correlation analyses suggested no agreement between self-report and pupillometry measures of listening effort. Conclusions: Both self-report and pupillometry measures demonstrated changes in listening effort, with changes in the DNR strength indicating that noise reduction systems do provide benefit in reducing listening effort to a certain extent. Lack of agreement between the measures suggests that both methods might be assessing different constructs of listening effort and care should be taken while making methodological decisions to assess listening effort in individuals wearing HAs. Full article

Bilingual aphasia is shaped by a dynamic interplay of neural, cognitive, linguistic, and experiential factors that influence both impairment and recovery. This review synthesizes current evidence on bilingual language organization, assessment, and treatment, emphasizing how individual language histories and cognitive systems contribute to variability in outcomes. We highlight the challenges of estimating pre-stroke proficiency, evaluating impairment across languages, and interpreting recovery patterns. Finally, we explore emerging technological directions while emphasizing that advances in machine learning, automated assessment, and neurotechnology must be developed with explicit attention to cultural responsiveness and equity to ensure benefits reach diverse multilingual populations. Full article

Background/Objectives: For those with comorbid mild traumatic brain injury/post-traumatic stress disorder (mTBI/PTSD), deficits are common with regard to recognition of emotion expression in others. These deficits can cause isolation and suicidal ideation. For mTBI/PTSD, there is a dearth of information regarding effective treatment. In pilot work, we developed and tested an innovative treatment to improve recognition of both affect (facial expression of emotion) and prosody (spoken expression of emotion). Methods: We enrolled eight Veterans with mTBI/PTSD and administered eight treatment sessions. Measures included the following: Florida Affect Battery (FAB), a test of emotion recognition of facial affect and spoken prosody; Attention Index of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS); and Emotion Recognition Test (ERT), a speed test of facial emotion recognition. Results: There was a significant treatment response according to the FAB (p = 0.01, effect size = 1.2); RBANS attention index (p = 0.04, effect size = 0.99); and trending toward significance for the ERT (0.17, effect size 0.75). Participants were able to engage actively in all eight sessions and provided qualitative evidence supporting generalization of the training to interpersonal relationships. Conclusions: Our data show promising clinical potential and warrant future research, given the importance of developing novel interventions to train and restore recognition of emotion in Veterans with mTBI/PTSD. Full article

Background: Traditionally, auditory rehabilitation in people with hearing loss has sought training in auditory skills to achieve an understanding of sound messages for communication. Assistive or supportive technology is limited to hearing aids that transmit sound through the air or bone to be used by the individual, and only in recent times have technologies for rehabilitation, of high cost and difficult access, begun to be used, employed by audiology professionals. Objective: The objective of this study was to compile the evidence reported in the literature on the use of technology in auditory rehabilitation for the improvement of hearing skills in people with hearing loss, beyond hearing aids and cochlear implants. Method: A systematic review of the literature was conducted between 2018 and 2024 in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, using as search terms Technology AND “Auditory Rehabilitation” validated in DeCS and MeSH thesauri; the PICO method was used to propose the research question, and the PRISMA strategy was used for the inclusion or exclusion of the articles to be reviewed. Results: In the first search, 141 documents were obtained. Subsequently, inclusion criteria, such as development with vibrotactile stimulation, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), among others, and exclusion criteria, such as those related to cochlear implants and air conduction hearing aids, were applied, and finally, articles related to natural language processing, and other systematic reviews were excluded so that the database was reduced to 14 documents. To this set, due to their relevance, two papers were added, for a total of sixteen analyzed. Conclusions: There are solutions ranging from the use of smartphones for telehealth to solutions with multiple technologies, such as the development of virtual environments with vibrotactile feedback. Hearing-impaired people and even professionals in this area of healthcare have a high level of acceptance of the use of technology in rehabilitation. Finally, this article highlights the crucial role of technology in auditory rehabilitation, with solutions that improve hearing skills and the positive acceptance of these tools by patients and audiology professionals. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with sleep disturbances, particularly sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and is often linked to an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is underdiagnosed in this population due to the lack of standardized methods and limited access to appropriate diagnostic technologies and appropriate equipment. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the presence and severity of sleep disorders, with a particular focus on OSA, in children and adolescents with CP compared to their typically developing peers. Methods: This observational, clinical, and prospective study included 28 children and adolescents with CP and 32 age- and sex-matched typically developing individuals. Sleep disturbances were assessed using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) and a high-resolution oximeter plus actigraphy combined with a cloud-based algorithm for the detection of obstructive sleep apnea (Biologix^® system), which provided data on oxygen saturation, snoring, movement during sleep, and total sleep time. Results: According to the SDSC, 92% of children and adolescents with CP presented scores indicative of sleep disturbances, compared to 31% of typically developing individuals. SDB was the most prevalent subtype (64%) and overnight oximetry revealed that 100% of the CP group presented oxygen desaturation index (ODI) values consistent with a diagnosis of OSA. The CP group also exhibited significantly lower mean SpO₂, longer snoring duration, shorter total sleep time, and prolonged sleep latency compared to the typically developing group. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit a high prevalence of sleep disturbances, with increasing evidence indicating a significant occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), particularly obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Full article

Background: Tele-practice, as an evidence-based practice, has gained momentum over the last two decades. However, routine clinical adoption is not spontaneous. Implementation science facilitates stakeholder engagement and the assessment of needs and plans. The study aims to assess the needs related to audiology and speech–language pathology services for children under six years of age and readiness for a tele-practice-based model of care for diagnostic and rehabilitation services among parents within the public sector in Tamil Nadu. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. The qualitative methods of focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted for parents of children with disabilities. A quantitative community survey was conducted on parents of children with no known disabilities. A deductive-inductive method of analysis was used. Results: Community survey responses were analyzed using percentage analysis. The results were classified based on the constructs of Bowen’s feasibility framework: demand/need for tele-practice, acceptability of tele-practice, and integration and practicality of tele-practice. Parents considered the existing services to be inadequate. Parents perceived tele-practice as beneficial, yet they felt a hybrid method would be more suitable, with sufficiently interspersed in-person visits. Parents believed that training and community awareness were necessary before implementing a technology-based model of services. Conclusions: The study’s findings guided the fine-tuning of the proposed comprehensive tele-practice model for hearing and speech–language services for children in this rural district. Full article

Background: Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at high risk for a broad spectrum of otorhinolaryngologic (ENT) disorders, including hearing impairment, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), dysphagia, and language delay. These conditions often coexist and interact with the neurodevelopmental and anatomical features of DS, requiring early identification and coordinated management. Despite the clinical burden, ENT involvement in DS remains under-characterized and inconsistently addressed in care pathways. Methods: A narrative review was conducted to provide an integrative overview of ENT manifestations in pediatric patients with DS. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, covering studies published between 1979 and 2025. Articles were included if they addressed ENT disorders in children with DS and met clinical relevance criteria. A total of 45 studies were selected and analysed by study design, focus, and contribution to diagnostic or therapeutic frameworks. Results: The majority of included studies were observational in nature, covering key domains such as conductive hearing loss, chronic otitis media with effusion, sleep-disordered breathing, and feeding/swallowing dysfunction. Several articles emphasized the importance of early audiologic and polysomnographic screening. Gaps in standardization and accessibility of multidisciplinary ENT care were consistently reported. A proposed framework for integrated evaluation is discussed. Conclusions: ENT manifestations in pediatric DS are frequent, multifactorial, and clinically impactful. A multidisciplinary, anticipatory model of care is essential for timely diagnosis and targeted intervention. This review highlights the need to formalize ENT pathways within comprehensive care protocols for children with DS. Full article

Computational thinking (CT), an interrelation of skills and practices, is a crucial competency that empowers individuals to tackle logical problems, enabling them to overcome various challenges in their daily lives. To help Deaf students (those with hearing loss and using sign language for communication) enhance their CT, a STEAM learning program using a physical computing tool is proposed. The learning program composes four courses: learning concepts, implementing concepts, finding solutions to real problems and developing innovations. The program engaged Deaf students from 18 Deaf schools. It is geared towards boosting students’ CT and facilitating their capacity to devise technology-based solutions. The program measured students’ CT effectiveness based on the CT framework: concepts, practices, and perspectives. The measurement encompassed multiple-choice assessments for CT concepts, task rubrics for CT practices, and interview and invention observations for CT perspectives. The program concludes with participating in a science project competition, using a physical computing tool, called KidBright, to solve real-world issues by integrating science, mathematics, and art. After completing the learning program, Deaf students demonstrated an improved understanding of CT concepts, performing high-level CT practices, and expressing strong CT perspectives. These indicate that a STEAM learning program utilizing a physical computing tool can help Deaf students enhance their computational thinking. Full article