Language disorders in children conceived by the assisted reproductive technologies

The new reproductive technologies have made it possible for parentless couples to become parent. Very little information is known about language and cognitive development in child conceived by ART and few studies have been done in order to evaluate the communicative disorders in these children. The objective of this study is to establish base line data about the size and distribution of language disorders among the children conceived through the ART procedures. This study was set in the Egyptian IVF center, the Jesuit Father's school and the preterm pediatric clinic in El-Minia governorate. One hundred children conceived by the ART procedures and 100 naturally conceived babies were included in this study. The children in the two groups were matched as much as possible in order to evaluate the effect of the ART procedures on the language abilities. The children of both groups were subjected to the protocols of language assessment which applied in the Phoniatric Unit of Am Shams University Hospital Revealed significant difference between both groups regarding the receptive, semantics and total language test scores. The results from this study revealed that the low birth weight, poor neonatal outcome, premature and multiple birth were important risk factors for worsening the language abilities of the children conceived by the ART more than the mode of conception by the ART procedures. In conclusion, A wider study is necessary to determine the effect of ART on the language skills of ART children

Efficacy of the accent method of voice therapy in treatment of vocal fold paralysis

One of the commonly used methods in treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis [U.V.F.P.] is the Smith Accent method. Individuals with glottal incompetence due to U.V.F.P. may complain of hreathy voice, decreased loudness and poor pitch control. The efficacy of the Accent method in those patients shows a great debate. This study was conducted on 20 patients with U.V.F.P. They were divided into two groups, group 1 did not receive therapy by the accent method, and group 2 who received therapy by the accent method. All patients were subjected to initial evaluation using the protocol of assessment which was taken as a [pretest data]. Follow-up evaluation was taken as a [post test] data. The values of the two groups were compared together and results were discussed

Effect of family counseling in different aetiological groups of delayed language development

Family counseling have been proposed as a part of comprehensive treatment program or as an alternative line of treatment to the active language therapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the effect of family counseling in different aetiological groups of delayed language development. Three groups were included in this study. The first group [G1] was due to brain damaged motorly handicapped children. The second group [G2] was due to mental retardation and the third group [G3] was due to sensory neural hearing impairment. Each group included 10 children. Family counseling was given for each patient every, 3 months for I year duration. A highly significant improvement in language was observed in G1 and G2, while a non-significant improvement was observed in G3. There was a significant language improvement in G2 when compared with the improvement in G1

Effect of computer-based training with mentally retarded delayed language children

The application of computer technology in the management of communicativedisorders represents a challenge. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the computer based therapy in mentally retarded delayed language children. Twenty delayed language children due to mild mental retardation were included in this study. They were classified into 2 groups, the first group received active language intervention sessions in addition to computer- based training. The second group received active language intervention only. Highly significant difference was noticed between the two groups as regards receptive semantics, expressive semantics, receptive syntax. Non-significant changes were found in pragmatics, phonology and social age

efficacy of the accent method of voice therapy in management of vocal folds nodules

Vocal fold nodules are benign bilateral masses caused by voice abuse. Accent Method [AM] is one of the holistic approaches of behaviour readjustment voice therapy. This study is conducted in order to evaluate the efficacy of the AM in patients with vocal fold nodules. Ten patients with vocal fold nodules are distributed into two groups. Group 1 [G1] is given the full aspect of AM, that is, voice hygiene advice plus the accent exercises. Group 2 [G2] received only voice hygiene advice. After full assessment a follow-up evaluation was done at mid intervention and at the termination of the therapy. The difference in improvement between G1 and G2 at the end of the study was generally significant in favor of G1