Virtual voice assistant applications improved expressive verbal abilities and social interactions in children with autism spectrum disorder: a Single-Subject experimental study.

The use of interactive technologies has been demonstrated to enhance verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as the social interaction tendencies of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We examined effects of using Virtual Voice Assistant (VVAs) in children with ASD with respect to two outcomes: speech skills and social interaction skills. A single-case study included three children with ASD (4-11 years old) that utilized VVAs for three months. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to measure the communication and social interaction skills of the participating children. Participant One, Two and Three showed improvement in the number of correct words produced the VVA intervention. All participants showed increases in social interactions in the intervention phase. Overall, the results showed that the VVAs had positive effects on the speech and social interaction skills of autistic children. The findings demonstrate that children with ASD may benefit from VVAs to improve their communication skills.

Parenting children with autism spectrum disorder in the United Arab Emirates: Exploring perceptions towards using the picture exchange communication system to enhance the development of children with autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an interplay between biological, social and environmental factors that impact the development of individuals. However, core characteristics are social, communication and behaviour challenges that restrict children's participation in society. Consequently, there are discussions regarding the need for society to develop interventions that are geared towards promoting the participation of children with ASD in societies. While the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) helps lessen the biological characteristics of children with ASD, its impact has rarely been explored in non-western societies, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). OBJECTIVES: The instant study's purpose was to explore parents' perceptions of the effectiveness of the PECS on the communicative, social and academic developments of children with ASD in UAE. METHOD: The Perception Towards Picture Exchange Communication Scale (PTPECS) was developed to collect data from the participants. The newly developed tool was piloted and validated before being implemented. The participants included 73 caregivers of children with ASD in the UAE. RESULTS: The following non-parametric tests were conducted: Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and spearman rho. The results revealed that the parents were generally positive about employing the PECS to support the development of their children with ASD. There was also a positive association between using the PECS and improving communication, learning and social skills in children with ASD. CONCLUSION: It is imperative that educators and policymakers envisage parents as equal partners in providing rehabilitation services to children with ASD. Various implications, such as the need for continual engagement and empowering parents of children with ASD, are discussed.

Healthy Volunteers Immediately Adapt to Submental Stimulation During Swallowing.

OBJECTIVES: Transcutaneous stimulation above and below the hyoid is used to assist patients with swallowing disorders (dysphagia) but has shown different effects. Previously, infrahyoid transcutaneous stimulation lowered the hyoid and larynx resisting swallowing movement while suprahyoid stimulation had no effects on hyolaryngeal movement either at rest or during swallowing. More recently, large submental electrodes, covering the submental region, are used for swallowing therapy in combination with resistance therapy. To gain insight into the effects of these electrodes on movement during swallowing, we studied healthy volunteers using videofluoroscopy (VF). We hypothesized that submental electrical stimulation might elevate the hyoid but not the larynx increasing vestibular opening potentially reducing swallowing safety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: While undergoing VF, seven healthy volunteers (mean age 51, 5 males) swallowed 5 mL of liquid barium on at least ten trials randomly ordered across three conditions: stimulation at rest, swallowing without stimulation, and swallowing with stimulation. RESULTS: During stimulation at rest, significant (one tailed p < 0.05) anterior movement occurred in the hyoid and larynx, no superior hyoid and laryngeal movement and an increase in the distance between the hyoid and larynx. When comparing swallowing with and without submental stimulation, during stimulation volunteers significantly reduced anterior hyoid motion (p = 0.028) and increased hyoid elevation (p = 0.043) without changing anterior or superior laryngeal movement or the distance between the hyoid and larynx. CONCLUSIONS: The healthy volunteers immediately corrected for the effects of submental stimulation by reducing hyoid anterior motion and increasing superior hyoid motion without changing laryngeal motion to prevent increased vestibule opening with stimulation. This suggests that healthy volunteers had an internal schema for swallowing movement patterning with feedforward correction for the effects of stimulation.

Factors and Determinants of Choosing Pathology as a Future Career: Results From a Multi-Institution Study.

Background Globally, less than 10% of graduating medical students select pathology as a future career. Many factors were reported from different settings to influence the choice of pathology. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that determine medical students' preferences in choosing pathology as a future career. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed students from three governmental medical schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire that contained demographic questions and items that addressed perceived factors that affect the choice of pathology was distributed to medical students. Collected data were analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). A chi-square test was used to determine the association between independent variables and interest in pathology. Results Out of the 400 questionnaires distributed, 338 students completed the survey with a response rate of 84.5%. Overall, surgery (24%) and internal medicine (20%) were the most favored, specialties with only 5% of the students selecting pathology as their first choice. Patient-doctor interaction (72.2%) was perceived as the most important factor in not choosing pathology as a future career. Taking an elective course, younger age groups, and year in medical school were all significantly associated (p<0.001) with an interest in pathology. Conclusion In this study, most of the students indicated surgery and internal medicine as their first specialty choices. Only 5% of the students chose pathology as their first choice. Two-thirds of medical students perceived pathologists do not interact with patients. A significant association was found between younger age groups, enrolling for a pathology course, and having an interest in pathology.

Effect of surface neuromuscular electrical stimulation on labial and lingual muscles in healthy volunteers.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) may have potential as a treatment for muscle weakness as it may improve strength when applied to the orofacial muscles. However, before incorporating this procedure into clinical practice, research is needed to investigate its effects on lingual and facial muscles of speech and mastication. The aim of this study was to determine what effect(s) submental and labial NMES would have on lingual and labial muscle strength in healthy participants. Fourteen healthy adults (27-49 years old) were assigned to two groups (treatment and control). A pretreatment and post-treatment test using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was used to measure the strength of labial and lingual muscles in both groups. Participants in the treatment group received labial and submental NMES while performing a structured labial, buccal, and lingual exercise program. In contrast, participants in the control group completed the same oral motor exercise program without stimulation. RESULTS: On comparing the total change in labial and lingual strength between the two groups, an increase in total labial strength was found in the treatment group compared with the control group. However, the control group showed an increase in total lingual strength compared with the treatment group. Results for all measurements were not statistically significant. This study concluded that NMES may be a promising modality to combine with labial and buccal exercises for improvement of muscle strength.

A REVIEW OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND ITS EFFECT ON LINGUAL, LABIAL AND BUCCAL MUSCLE STRENGTH.

BACKGROUND: Lingual, labial and buccal weakness (LLBW) is a widespread consequence of several neurological insults. LLBW impact on oral motor functions such as speech production and swallowing is well documented in the literature. Therefore, it is important for the speech-language pathologists to have access to evidence-based approaches for treatment. Thus, it is imperative that the speech-language pathology field search for effective treatment approaches and explore new treatment modalities that can improve therapy outcomes. One relatively new modality in this field is neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). AIMS: The purpose of this paper is fivefold: (a) to provide an overview of the general effects of NMES on skeletal muscles; (b) to review the effect of NMES on orofacial musculature evaluating the potential appropriateness of NMES for use in strengthening lingual, labial and buccal muscles; (c) to identify future directions for research with consideration of its potential role in improving speech intelligibility and the oral preparatory phase of swallowing in patients with oral motor weakness; (d) to provide a brief anatomic and physiologic bases of LLBW; (e) to provide background information for orofacial myologists who may encounter individuals with LLBW. MAIN CONTRIBUTION: NMES is a modality that is commonly used in physical therapy and occupational therapy fields that assists in treating several motor and sensory muscular disorders including muscular weakness. The literature reviewed demonstrate that very limited data related to the use of NMES on orofacial muscles exist despite the fact that these muscles can be easily accessed by electrical stimulation from the surface. CONCLUSIONS: This review of the research using electrical stimulation of muscles highlights the need for experimental treatment studies that investigate the effect of NMES on orofacial weakness.