Márcia Mathias de Castro

Análise acústica e índice de estimulabilidade sons líquidos do português brasileiro

PURPOSE: to describe the acoustic characteristics obtained from the acoustic analysis (AA) and the stimulability index (SI) of the liquids [[l/]; [[r/]; [[lh/]. METHODS: we analyzed the speech production elicited by imitation from two twin adolescents aged 11:6 years-old, showing the phonological process of liquid simplification. Their productions were acoustically analyzed before the stimulability test application. RESULTS: the two subjects correctly produced the sound [[l/]. Subject 1 was not stimulable to the sound [[r/] and his production was substituted by [[l/] independently of the subsequent vowel. Subject 2 was stimulable to the sound [[l/] and produced it correctly only in one of the imitations task when combined with the vowel /a/. The AA showed that the sound [[l/] was produced in different ways when production was either correct or substituted by [[r/]. Both subjects were stimulable to [[lh/]. AA showed statistical differences when the [[lh/] was followed by the vowels /a/ and /u/. The vowel /i/ was the only sound that did not facilitate the production of [[lh/] for the subject 2. CONCLUSION: the combined use of both procedures was effective in identifying motor and acoustical speech problems and helped to find out some parameters that tend to facilitate the acquisition of a sound.

Speech Inconsistency Index in Brazilian Portuguese-Speaking Children

Objective: Speech inconsistency is characterised by variable productions of the same lexical items within the same context. This study aimed to describe inconsistencies among Brazilian Portuguese (BP)-speaking children with and without phonological disorder (PD) as well as the effectiveness of a speech inconsistency test (SIT). Methods: The study sample included children between 5 years 0 months (5;0 years) and 10;10 years of age, both genders, 51 children with PD and 50 without speech-language disorders. The SIT includes 25 pictures, each named 3 times in different sequences within the same session. Results: The inconsistency average of children with PD (27.4%) was higher than that of typically developing children (9.8%). Linear regression showed age and gender effects, receiver operating characteristic curves were built for speech inconsistency with combined gender and age cutoff values. Inconsistent subjects among typically developing children included 2 younger boys and 2 older girls. Inconsistencies were found among children with PD, including 10 boys up to 7;6 years and 11 over this age, and 7 girls up to 7;6 years and 6 over this age. Conclusion: Speech inconsistency in BP-speaking children seems to be an effective measure for differentiating children with PD from those with typically developing phonology.

Influence of Sensory Cues on the Stimulability for Liquid Sounds in Brazilian Portuguese-Speaking Children

Objective: Stimulability is the ability to produce an adequate sound under specific conditions. This study aimed to describe the stimulability of Brazilian Portuguese-speaking children with and without phonological disorders for the production of liquid sounds with the aid of visual and tactile cues. Patients and Methods: The study sample included 36 children between 5;0 and 11;6 years of age, 18 with phonological disorder and 18 without any speech-language disorders. Stimulability was measured for syllable imitation. The stimulability test employed includes 63 syllables with the sounds [}], [y], and [2], as well as seven oral vowels. If the subject was unable to imitate a sound, a visual cue was given. When necessary, a tactile cue was also given. Results: The sound [y] required greater use of sensory cues. Children with phonological disorder needed a greater number of cues. Conclusion: The use of sensory cues seemed to facilitate sound stimulability, making it possible for the children with phonological disorder to accurately produce the sounds modeled.

Medidas fonológicas em crianças com transtorno fonológico

PURPOSE: To compare and correlate the performance of children with and without phonological disorders (PD) according to phonological awareness (PA) abilities, Percentage of Consonants Correct - Revised (PCC-R) and Speech Inconsistency Index (SII). METHODS: Participants were 36 children with ages between 5 and 7 years divided into: Research Group (RG) - 18 children with PD; and CG - 18 typically developing children. The PCC-R was calculated, and the SII and the Phonological Sensitivity Test - Visual mode (PST-V) were applied. The PST-V consists of six tasks: equal and different alliteration (EA and DA, respectively), total alliteration (TA), equal and different rhyme (ER and DR, respectively), and total rhyme (TR). Results were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Differences were found between groups in all indexes, with better performances of the CG. In this group there were negative correlations between SII and all PA abilities and between SII and PCC-R, except for the ER. There were positive correlations between all PST-V subtests. On the RG, positive correlations were observed between PCC-R and alliteration abilities; no correlations were found between SII and PCC-R nor between SII and PA subtests. There were correlations between PST-V abilities: EA and TA; DA and TA; DA and DR; ER and TR; DR and TR. CONCLUSION: Children with PD had worse performances. CG children develop rhyme and alliteration abilities as they stabilize their speech production. RG children are more inconsistent and tend to develop PA abilities in a more disorganized manner.

Influência das vogais na estimulabilidade dos sons líquidos

PURPOSE: to check the number of children, between 5:0 and 11:6-year old, with and without Phonological Disorder, Brazilian Portuguese speaking children that imitated correctly the liquid sounds in the stimulability test considering each one of the subsequent vowels. METHODS: the stimulability was measured in syllable imitation of 63 syllables with the sounds with seven oral vowels. We analyzed the percentage of subjects that produced correctly the sounds as a function of the subsequent vowel. RESULTS: the was the sound with more correct productions, independent of the sequent vowel; the was better produced with the vowels [e, o], and it seems that the medium-lower position height of the tongue is make easier the production of this sound; the was better produced with the vowels [o, o, u], it seems that the round position of the lips facility the production of this sound, as well the back and medium-upper position of the tongue. CONCLUSION: the vowels that are subsequent to the liquid studied sounds show influences in their productions, in such a way to make them easier.