Gross Motor Outcomes of Children Born Prematurely in Northern Ontario and Followed by a Neonatal Follow-Up Programme.

Purpose: The developing brain of a premature infant is vulnerable to injury. As a result, the long-term consequences of a premature birth include motor deficits, cognitive and behavioural problems. It is crucial to identify motor dysfunction during the preschool period because it interferes with a child's ability to explore the world. The goals of this study were to (1) provide preliminary data on the gross motor outcomes of children born prematurely and (2) determine the proportion and characteristics of the children who had maintained delays over the course of follow-up. Method: A retrospective chart review was conducted on all infants monitored by a neonatal follow-up programme. Each child was assessed by a single physiotherapist from birth until age 2 years. Of the 107 cases identified, 97 individuals were retained for analysis; they had a mean gestational age of 31.1 (SD 2.9) weeks and a mean birth weight of 1.66 (SD 0.53) kilograms. Results: The majority of children assessed were found to have gross motor outcomes in the average range. Children with scores below the average range were most often born very preterm (VPT) or moderately preterm (MPT), with very low or low birth weight, respectively. A total of 17 participants were referred to physiotherapy to address the gross motor delays identified in the follow-up programme; 14 of these 17 had previously been identified as delayed and were being monitored. Late preterm (LPT) children (n=6) were most often referred, followed by those born extremely preterm (EPT) and VPT (n=4). In total, 56 children were identified as delayed at one assessment point but were found to be within normal limits by the end of the follow-up period. Conclusion: It is important to periodically monitor premature children. A longitudinal, population-based study is also needed to provide more data on the predictors and long-term motor outcomes of MPT and LPT children.

Objectif : le cerveau du nourrisson prématuré est vulnérable aux lésions. Conséquemment, des difficultés motrices, ainsi que des troubles cognitifs et comportementaux peuvent être observés. Il est essentiel de diagnostiquer les dysfonctions motrices pendant la période préscolaire, comme elles compromettent la capacité de l'enfant à explorer le monde. La présente étude cherchait à 1) fournir des données préliminaires sur la motricité grossière des enfants nés prématurément et 2) déterminer la proportion et les caractéristiques des enfants qui ont maintenu des retards au fil du temps. Méthodologie : les chercheurs ont effectué une analyse rétrospective des dossiers de tous les nourrissons ayant fait l'objet d'un programme de suivi néonatal. Une seule physiothérapeute a évalué chaque enfant entre la naissance et l'âge de deux ans. Des 107 cas, 97 ont été conservés en vue de l'analyse. À la naissance, l'âge gestationnel moyen était de 31,1 semaines (ÉT 2,9) et le poids moyen était de 1,66 kg (ÉT 0,53). Résultats : les résultats ont montré que chez la majorité des enfants, la motricité grossière se situait dans une plage moyenne. Les enfants dont les scores se situaient sous la moyenne étaient souvent très prématurés ou modérément prématurés et avaient un poids très faible ou faible à la naissance, respectivement. Au total, 17 participants ont été orientés en physiothérapie afin de cibler les retards constatés durant le programme de suivi. De ceux-ci, 14 avaient déjà été identifiés comme ayant un retard. Les enfants peu prématurés (n=6) étaient les plus souvent orientés en physiothérapie, suivis des enfants extrêmement prématurés et très prématurés (n=4). Au total, 56 enfants identifiés comme ayant un retard se sont rattrapés et se situaient dans les limites de la norme à la fin de la période de suivi. Conclusion : l'évaluation périodique des enfants prématurés est nécessaire. Une étude longitudinale à plus grande échelle est nécessaire afin de mieux comprendre le portrait clinique à long terme des enfants modérément prématurés et peu prématurés.

The Role of Cognition on Navigational Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Purpose: This study examined the role of cognition on the navigational process of a speech-generating device (SGD) among individuals with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objective was to investigate the role of various cognitive factors (i.e., cognitive flexibility, sustained attention, categorization, fluid reasoning, and working memory) on the ability to navigate an SGD with dynamic paging and taxonomic grids in individuals with ASD. Method: Twenty individuals aged 5 to 20 years with ASD were assessed using the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Roid & Miller, 1997) and the Automated Working Memory Assessment (Alloway, 2007). They also completed a navigational task using an iPad 4 (Apple, 2017; taxonomic organization). Results: Significant correlations between all of the cognitive factors and the ability to navigate an SGD were revealed. A stepwise linear regression suggested that cognitive flexibility was the best predictor of navigational ability with this population. Conclusion: The importance of cognition in the navigational process of an SGD with dynamic paging in children and adolescents with ASD has been highlighted by the results of this study.

Observing eye movements and the influence of cognition during a symbol search task: a comparison across three age groups.

This study examined eye movements during a visual search task as well as cognitive abilities within three age groups. The aim was to explore scanning patterns across symbol grids and to better understand the impact of symbol location in AAC displays on speed and accuracy of symbol selection. For the study, 60 students were asked to locate a series of symbols on 16 cell grids. The EyeLink 1000 was used to measure eye movements, accuracy, and response time. Accuracy was high across all cells. Participants had faster response times, longer fixations, and more frequent fixations on symbols located in the middle of the grid. Group comparisons revealed significant differences for accuracy and reaction times. The Leiter-R was used to evaluate cognitive abilities. Sustained attention and cognitive flexibility scores predicted the participants' reaction time and accuracy in symbol selection. Findings suggest that symbol location within AAC devices and individuals' cognitive abilities influence the speed and accuracy of retrieving symbols.

Practical Methodology of Cognitive Tasks Within a Navigational Assessment.

This paper describes an approach for measuring navigation accuracy relative to cognitive skills. The methodology behind the assessment will thus be clearly outlined in a step-by-step manner. Navigational skills are important when trying to find symbols within a speech-generating device (SGD) that has a dynamic screen and taxonomical organization. The following skills have been found to impact children's ability to find symbols when navigating within the levels of an SGD: sustained attention, categorization, cognitive flexibility, and fluid reasoning. According to past studies, working memory was not correlated with navigation. The materials needed for this method include a computerized tablet, an augmentative and alternative communication application, a booklet of symbols, and the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Leiter-R). This method has been used in two previous studies. Robillard, Mayer-Crittenden, Roy-Charland, Minor-Corriveau and Bélanger assessed typically developing children, while Rondeau, Robillard and Roy-Charland assessed children and adolescents with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. The direct observation of this method will facilitate the replication of this study for researchers. It will also help clinicians that work with children who have complex communication needs to determine the children's ability to navigate an SGD with taxonomical categorization.

Monolingual and bilingual children with and without primary language impairment: core vocabulary comparison.

Core vocabulary is an important component of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for school-aged children who have complex communication needs. One method of identifying core vocabulary for these individuals is to study the vocabulary of speaking children. To date, the use of core vocabulary by speaking bilingual children has not been well documented. The present study compared the core vocabulary used by children who are monolingual (French), and bilingual (French-English; English-French). We also gathered and compared language samples from French-speaking children identified as having primary language impairment (PLI), with the goal of better understanding the language differences demonstrated by children with this disability. Language samples were collected from a total of 57 children within a school setting, in a region where French is a minority language. Contrary to the hypothesis, the analysis of language transcripts revealed that there were no important differences between the core words from the groups studied.

Exploring the impact of cognition on young children's ability to navigate a speech-generating device.

This study examined the impact of cognition on young children's ability to navigate a speech-generating device (SGD) with dynamic paging. Knowledge of which cognitive factors impact navigational skills could help clinicians select the most appropriate SGD for children who have complex communication needs. A total of 65 typically developing children aged 48-77 months were assessed using the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Leiter-R) and the Automated Working Memory Assessment (AWMA). Although significant correlations were found between the ability to navigate an SGD (using a taxonomic organization) and all cognitive factors except for cognitive flexibility, a stepwise linear regression revealed that sustained attention, categorization, and fluid reasoning were the most pragmatic set of factors to predict navigational skills. Future studies are needed to further understand the factors that impact children's navigational skills.