Holly K. Craig

The age at which young deaf children receive cochlear implants and their vocabulary and speech-production growth: is there an added value for early implantation?

Objective: The age at which a child receives a cochlear implant seems to be one of the more important predictors of his or her speech and language outcomes. However, understanding the association between age at implantation and child outcomes is complex because a child’s age, length of device use, and age at implantation are highly related. In this study, we investigate whether there is an added value to earlier implantation or whether advantages observed in child outcomes are primarily attributable to longer device use at any given age. Design: Using hierarchical linear modeling, we examined latent-growth curves for 100 children who had received their implants when they were between 1 and 10 yr of age, had used oral communication, and had used their devices for between 1 and 12 yr. Children were divided into four groups based on age at implantation: between 1 and 2.5 yr, between 2.6 and 3.5 yr, between 3.6 and 7 yr, and between 7.1 and 10 yr. Results: Investigation of growth curves and rates of growth over time revealed an additional value for earlier implantation over and above advantages attributable to longer length of use at any given age. Children who had received their implants before the age of 2.5 yr had exhibited early bursts of growth in consonant-production accuracy and vocabulary and also had significantly stronger outcomes compared with age peers who had received their implants at later ages. The magnitude of the early burst diminished systematically with increasing age at implantation and was not observed for children who were older than 7 yr at implantation for consonant-production accuracy or for children who were over 3.5 yr old at implantation for vocabulary. The impact of age at implantation on children’s growth curves differed for speech production and vocabulary. Conclusions: There seems to be a substantial benefit for both speech and vocabulary outcomes when children receive their implant before the age of 2.5 yr. This benefit may combine a burst of growth after implantation with the impact of increased length of use at any given age. The added advantage (i.e., burst of growth) diminishes systematically with increasing age at implantation.

Social Skills of Children with Specific Language Impairment: Peer Relationships.

Children with specific language impairment are at risk for social problems. This article discusses the available literature pertinent to understanding their peer relationships. In addition, a clini...

Influence of rate of treatment on the naming abilities of adults with chronic aphasia

Abstract There is a lack of empirical evidence on which clinicians can base their daily decisions about aphasia treatment rate and duration. The purpose of this series of studies was to review the outcomes of various rates of speech/language therapy on the naming performances of adults with aphasia. A retrospective pre/post design was employed with a total of 40 subjects across studies. Results revealed the significant positive effects of intensive speech/language therapy on the naming skills of adults with aphasia, and that these improvements were greater than those obtained during non-intensive treatment, Although there are limitations of the treatment-based, retrospective research design, this line of research contributes to the ability of rehabilitation professionals to make appropriate treatment recommendations regarding treatment rate.

The Structural Characteristics of Monologues in the Speech of Normal Children: Syntactic Nonconversational Aspects

Semantic and conversational aspects of monologues in the speech of normal children were investigated. Subjects were nine children, three each at Browns language Stages I, II, and III. A two-hour language sample, containing alternations of dialogue with the examiner and monologue produced during independent play, was collected from each child. Results indicate that the semantic and conversational categories that occurred in monologue speech were similar to those that appeared in contextually matched dialogue speech but the proportional frequencies differed. Monoloque subsamples were generally short in length and had a sequencing pattern that was highly consistent and sematically organized. Results are discussed in terms of Piagetian cognitive theory and pragmatic language models.

Quantifying connected speech samples of adults with chronic aphasia

Abstract This study quantifies connected speech samples of post-acute adults with mild, moderate and severe levels of aphasia. Yorkston and Beukelman (1980) established utterance production values for 50 adults with mild and moderate aphasic impairments. The present study reports mean and standard deviation syllable and utterance content values for severe impairments as well, based on the performance profiles of 103 adults with aphasia.

Hyperlexia and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study of Scaffolding Language Growth over Time.

This case study describes Jason, a child with an autism spectrum disorder and hyperlexia. Hyperlexia is a condition characterized by precocious single-word recognition skills and weaker comprehension skills. Jason demonstrated advanced writing skills and a strong general preference for learning materials presented visually rather than orally. His speech–language pathologists, parents, tutors, and teachers used his exceptional skills in decoding and writing to scaffold his growth in oral language comprehension and interactive turn-taking over time. His reading skills supported his learning to comprehend Wh-questions presented orally, and to take turns appropriately in individual and group language intervention. In addition, visual scaffolding was used to prime the language necessary to complete lessons in the academic content areas, with positive outcomes. Overall, the case study underscores the need for clinicians to look at a childs behavioral profile in a comprehensive way so that no potential supports for language growth are overlooked.

Children's turn-taking behaviors Social-linguistic interactions

Abstract Current conceptualizations of the turn exchange system for conversation were examined by describing the turn-taking characteristics of three-party interactions among normally developing Black English speaking children. Subjects were six four-year-old girls and boys from middle-class families. Videotaped language samples were transcribed and scored. The data revealed that most utterances were produced nonsimultaneously, were other-directed, and involved successful changes across speakers. These turn exchanges were regulated more by the speaker than the listeners. Turn allocation cues were primarily nonverbal with proximity and gaze being most important. These turn exchange characteristics are consistent with those described in previous literature.

An investigation of overlap in children's speech

The simultaneous speech of six 4-year-old girls was investigated within three-party conversation. The data reveal two major types of overlap, one providing instances of turn completion projections and the other reflecting tension for the turn at speaking. The data are discussed in terms of the Sacks, Schegloff, and Jefferson (1974) model of conversational interaction.

An investigation of pragmatic connectives within preschool peer interactions

Abstract Interrelationships among social variables and the use of pragmatic connectives were examined in the dyadic and triadic play interactions of six 4-year-old children. Results indicated that most pragmatic connectives occurred as a link between speech acts that expressed play role or personal identification. Pragmatic connectives were not more frequent within triadic interactions for four of the children. Semantic, syntactic, and functional characteristics of pragmatic connectives are discussed.

Adult-child discourse: The conversational relevance of pauses

Abstract The present investigation examined 2 to 3 year old childrens responses to pauses compared to their responses to other classes of adult behavior within child initiated request sequences. The results indicated that the children responded differentially to neutral and negative adult responses. However, only some, children made a similar distinction between long pauses, inter-utterance pauses greater than one second, and short pauses, inter-utterance pauses of one second or less. The data contributes to our understanding of the young childs responses to pauses and highlights the need for empirical validation of discourse segmentation procedures.