[Analysis of early detection among 7513 preschool children]

The development of cognitive and social abilities of preschool children in Basle is discussed. The importance of education and of detecting developments which do not confirm to standard is stressed in this context. A survey of preventive examinations, carried out during the last five years, in which 7513 kingergarten-children were examined, is given. Only findings confirmed by specialists are stated. Furthermore the measures taken to help preschool children with neurological illness and hearing loss of sensory neural type are discussed. The preventive and the individually curative medical activities have proved sensible and complementary to each other.

Communication problems in hearing children of deaf parents

Fifty-two children who had deaf parents and were thought to have normal hearing were evaluated for speech, hearing, and language problems. Standardized tests, audiological evaluations, and informal conversation and play techniques were used. Of the 52 children of deaf parents, less than half were considered to be developing speech and language normally and 12% had previously undiagnosed hearing loss. The prevalence of speech and language problems and hearing losses is higher in this population than in the population at large. The children appeared to be using two systems to communicate, one with hearing people and one with the deaf. Of the children having some speech and language difficulty, approximately half had problems that were not associated with other known physiological or environmental factors that might affect speech and language. Although there were no children of intelligible mothers who had speech and language problems, there were children developing normally who had parents whose speech intelligibility was poor. Contrary to indications in the literature, speech and language problems did not disappear after the children entered school. A large number of school-age children as well as preschoolers appeared to be having speech and language problems. The amount of time spent with hearing adults during the preschool years or the presence of older normal-hearing and -speaking siblings did not seem related to speech and language difficulty. However, when an elder sibling had speech and language difficulty, the younger siblings tended to have similar problems. The relationship between sign and oral language development is ambiguous, but there is no indication that the use of sign language deters oral language development. In view of the high incidence of communication problems in this population, annual audiological evaluations and counseling of deaf parents concerning aspects of hearing loss and normal language development are recommended. The problems encountered in providing therapy are discussed.

Speech problems in a national survey: assessments and prevalences

In this paper we present data on the prevalence of speech problems in a nationally representative group of children according to three modes of assessment. There was a large measure of disagreement between the assessments. Sex, social class, birth order and family size differences were examined. There was indirect evidence to suggest that the social class differences in the teacher's assessments of poor speech could be explained in terms of differences in children's dialect and language rather than a reflection of speech deficits. Finally we examined the relationship between parental assessment and the three modes of assessment. Overall, the degree of concurrence was low.

An epidemiological study of autistic and psychotic children in the four eastern states of Australia

Data on general behavioural and etiological characteristics of a sample of 146 autistic and psychotic children from the four eastern states of Australia are presented. Both inter and intra study comparisons are made with reference to a number of factors considered significant in childhood psychosis. The findings accord with those of similar overseas studies on most factors although methodological and diagnostic differences limit the conclusions. A notable finding was that of an excess of "organic" indications in a sub-group of early onset, severly withdrawn "autistic" chhildren suggesting that further neurological and EEG testing of autistic children is desirable.

[Review of 1,172 clinical cases with human communication disorders]

The study comprised 1,172 clinical cases that were classified according to sex, age and speech disorders. A review is made on the most common alterations that they present, the selective treatment in each type and their rehabilitation.

[Multiple congenital arthrogryposis as a cause of learning and communicating problems]

Since 1963, the authors have studied 83 cases of multiple arthrogryposis. Incidence at Hospital de Pediatria was 0.006%. It was shown that clinicians usually pay attention only to osteoarticular problems and very little attention to neurological problems. A new classification of arthrogryposis is proposed, including learning and communication problems with the aim of providing means for the study of the disease under a multidisciplinary approach.

Further studies on the effects of infant feeding on speech quality

A previous speech survey (Broad, 1972) has been extended to include similar children in schools on the West Coast of the South Island, making a total of 319 for the two surveys. Both surveys were retrospective. The West Coast study has extended the findings of the earlier project. The combined studies showed that: 1. Breast feeding is associated strongly with improved speech clarity in the male child and the tendency for breast feeding to be associated with improved tonal quality is sustained. 2. Reading ability is associated with breast feeding for the entire group, boys showing the effect more clearly than girls. 3. A high degree of association was found between reading ability and speech clarity. 4. There is an association between breast feeding and confidence. There is evidence that the feeding effect is different for both sexes and that differences exist between the two regions.

Clinical and serological assessment of children exposed in utero to confirmed maternal rubella

As a result of the work of the Public Health Laboratory Service Working Party on Rubella (1970) it was possible to examine the children of 60 susceptible women who were in contact with rubella during their pregnancy and who subsequently showed serological evidence of the infection, despite immunoglobulin prophylaxis. When the children were assessed between 8 months and 4 years 8 months of age a blood sample was also taken and tested for rubella antibodies so that a retrospective diagnosis of congenital rubella infection could be made. Only 19% of children exposed to subclinical maternal rubella showed evidence of intrauterine infection compared with 53% of those born to mothers who had clinical rubella. One of the 26 children exposed to subclinical maternal infection had a rubella defect, compared with 9 of the 34 children exposed to clinical maternal rubella.

Oestriol excretion in pregnant diabetics related to long-term prognosis of surviving children

Urinary 24-hour oestriol excretion in pregnant diabetics were studied in 154 pregnancies resulting in 158 surviving children. Subnormal oestriol levels were found in 33 pregnancies associated with low birth weight, but otherwice widely independent on pre- and perinatal factors.

Results of follow-up study of the complete infant material at ages varying from 1 8/12 to 10 1/12 years were related to maternal oestriol excretion levels in relevant pregnancies.

The incidence of children with major abnormalities in the subnormal oestriol group (39.4 %) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than in the normal oestriol group (16.0 %).

The incidence of cerebral damaged children in the subnormal oestriol group (51.5%) was significantly higher (P <0.01) than in the normal oestriol group (22.4 %).

There was no significant difference in distribution of congenital malformations.

Correlations of maternal White class, pre- and perinatal complications and birth weight with oestriol levels and results of follow-up study reflected the distribution in the total series with higher incidence of abnormal children in the subnormal oestriol fractions.

Prevalence of speech problems in junior and senior high schools

The prevalence of speech problems in a junior and senior high-school population was studied. Speech problems were observed in 5.5% of 5054 junior and senior highschool students in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, City Schools. Stuttering and articulatory disorders were the most frequently observed speech disorders, each having an incidence of 2.1%.

Speech defects in children

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Speech defects in children aged 7 years: a national study

A series of screening procedures applied on a national scale by doctors, teachers, and health visitors showed that between 10% and 13% of British 7-year-old children born in one week in 1958 were reported as having an appreciable degree of speech impairment. Between 1% and 2% had a marked speech defect though hearing normally. This latter group of speech-defective children were more often male and of poor family background, and more were born towards the end of a long family. They were often at a disadvantage educationally and had more clumsiness and defects of vision and visuomotor co-ordination than the rest of the sample. The methods used for screening provided a reliable guide in the selection of children who require further investigation.

Old age and the quality of life

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Prevalence of speech and hearing problems in a child development clinic population

Data collected at the Child Development Clinic of the Univer sity of Iowa over two years indicate that a professional evalua tion of speech and hearing should be included routinely in eval uation of every child with problems of growth and development.