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Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often struggle to participate in traditional language assessments due to their limited mobility, making it challenging for speech-language therapists (SLTs) to accurately assess their language abilities. In recent years, there has been evidence that eye-tracking is an effective way of measuring the receptive language abilities of children who demonstrate difficulties with traditional language assessments. This study aimed to (i) develop eye-tracking assessment materials based on a receptive vocabulary subtest of a Malay language assessment and (ii) evaluate the performance of children with CP on the receptive vocabulary assessment conducted via eye-tracking, compared to their performance on a traditional receptive vocabulary assessment. The first phase of the study focused on developing eye-tracking receptive vocabulary assessment materials from the Malay Preschool Language Assessment Tool and trialling the materials and assessment protocol. This phase involved 15 typically developing children aged 4–6 years. The finalized materials and protocol were administered to 15 children with CP in the second phase. Each child attended two assessment sessions: the first was a traditional receptive vocabulary assessment, and the second utilized eye-tracking technology. Children practiced eye-tracking through online games. Results showed that eight children with CP performed better in the eye-tracking assessment, two scored similarly across both methods, and five scored lower during eye-tracking. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test conducted revealed no significant difference in scores across both assessment methods (p  > .05). Furthermore, most children exhibited poor consistency in their scores across the two methods. These findings suggest that while some children with CP may benefit from receptive vocabulary assessments conducted via eye-tracking, no single assessment method is optimal for all children with CP. Instead, children with CP may benefit from a combination of assessment methods, including eye-tracking, to increase the accuracy of assessment results.

Stroke often results in extensive neurological damage, leading to a wide range of rehabilitation needs and challenges, with upper extremity dysfunction being particularly prevalent. Although pressure garments have been used in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy to reduce muscle tone, their therapeutic effects have not been thoroughly investigated in the field of stroke. To determine the effects of pressure garments with varying designs on stroke patients' sensorimotor function and quality of life. A total of 165 participants is required (55/group) with an effect size of 0.125, power of 0.80, alpha level of 0.05, and adjusted for a dropout rate of 20%. This is a multicenter, double-blind, prospective randomized controlled, three-group trial. At three hospitals in Shandong, China, 165 patients within 1-12 months of stroke are randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive Dorsal-Double-layered 10% circumferential reduction (DD-10, intervention), Single-layered 10% circumferential reduction (S-10, intervention), or Single-layered 0% circumferential reduction (S-0, placebo) pressure garments. Pressure garments are worn for 3 hours in the morning, 3 hours in the afternoon, and 8 hours at night daily for 8 weeks. During the first 4 weeks, patients also receive 30-min occupational therapy sessions. The primary outcome is the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity to assess motor control. Secondary outcomes are the Box and Block Test (BBT) for assessing dexterity, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) for assessing muscle tone, Visual Analogue Scale for assessing pain, Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) for assessing self-perceived upper extremity function, and 36 Item Short Health Survey (SF-36) for assessing quality of life. Measurements are taken at Time 1(Baseline), Time 2 (Week 4), and Time 3 (Week 8). The expected outcome of this study is that it can determine the design of pressure garments best suited to improve sensorimotor function and the quality of life of stroke patients. It can also extend the clinical value of pressure garments and help healthcare professionals make more targeted treatment choices for stroke patients. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06587308.

IntroductionStroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, with upper limb dysfunction being among its most common effects. Compression therapy has recently gained growing interest as an adjunct to other rehabilitation interventions for managing upper limb dysfunction among stroke survivors. However, the evidence for its effectiveness remains inconsistent and equivocal. Therefore, this systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of compression therapy in managing upper limb dysfunction in patients with stroke.MethodA systematic search of databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, PEDro, OTseeker, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform) will be conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies and relevant grey literature on compression therapy on upper limb dysfunction after stroke. Two reviewers will independently screen, select and extract data, with discrepancies resolved through discussion or involvement of a third reviewer. Outcomes of interest include clinical measures of upper limb function, activity, participation and safety (ie, adverse effects). Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 for randomised studies, the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions for non-randomised studies. The certainty of evidence across types of compression therapy and outcomes will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Data will be narratively synthesised, and a meta-analysis will be performed if feasible. The review will be reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and will be conducted from September 2025 to December 2025.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review does not require ethical approval as only secondary data will be used. This review will synthesise the body of evidence on the effectiveness of compression therapy in managing poststroke upper limb dysfunction. Results will then be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication to inform research and clinical practice.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42024625815.

The Malaysian healthcare system for individuals with Parkinson’s disease is still underdeveloped. Self-stigma has a significant influence on how successfully individuals with Parkinson’s disease handle their condition. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between self-stigma, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and communication participation among individuals with Parkinson’s disease. In Study 1, 25 individuals with Parkinson’s disease from the Malaysian Parkinson’s Disease Association completed the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness-8 Items, Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, and Communicative Participation Item Bank. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation/regression. In Study 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Survey results indicated that a higher level of self-stigma was associated with lower levels of basic (r = −.47) and instrumental (r = −.21) activities of daily living and communication participation (r = −.41) among individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, five main themes emerged from the in-person interviews: “challenges in performing activities of daily living due to Parkinson’s disease,” “speech and communication adaptations due to Parkinson’s disease,” “psychological responses toward one’s own Parkinson’s disease symptoms,” “self-stigmatization with impacts on self-concept,” and “perception formation of Parkinson’s disease resulting from self-stigmatization.” In conclusion, the self-stigma of individuals with Parkinson’s disease was considerably related to their activities of daily living and communication participation. Therefore, healthcare providers should address these factors collectively in their care of individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, health-related organizations and Parkinson’s disease associations must play a crucial role in educating and raising awareness of Parkinson’s disease in our society, considering that self-stigma is related to both how an individual perceives their condition and the public’s attitudes and perceptions toward it.

The purpose of this article is to describe the rapid development of speech-language pathology in Japan since governmental licensing started in 1997 and to summarize the current trends in assessing and treating stuttering for preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents, and adults. The authors review relevant information about the current assessment and treatment services for people who stutter in Japan and discuss the issues and challenges faced by speech-language pathologists in managing stuttering. It is predicted that as expertise in stuttering grows in Japan, the role of stuttering specialists in allied health, school districts, and research will increase.

A new device and automated measurement technology known as OroSTIFF is described to characterize non-participatory perioral stiffness in healthy adults for eventual application to patients with orofacial movement disorders associated with neuromotor disease, traumatic injury, or congenital clefts of the upper lip. Previous studies of perioral biomechanics required head stabilization for extended periods of time during measurement, which precluded sampling patients with involuntary body/head movements (dyskinesias), or pediatric subjects. The OroSTIFF device is face-referenced and avoids the complications associated with head-restraint. Supporting data of non-participatory perioral tissue stiffness using OroSTIFF are included from 10 male and 10 female healthy subjects. The OroSTIFF device incorporates a pneumatic glass air cylinder actuator instrumented for pressure, and an integrated subminiature displacement sensor to encode lip aperture. Perioral electromyograms were simultaneously sampled to confirm passive muscle state for the superior and inferior divisions of the orbicularis oris muscles. Perioral stiffness, derived as a quotient from resultant force (ΔF) and interangle span (ΔX), was modeled with multilevel regression techniques. Real-time calculation of the perioral stiffness function demonstrated a significant quadratic relation between imposed interangle stretch and resultant force. This stiffness growth function also differed significantly between males and females. This study demonstrates the OroSTIFF ‘proof-of-concept’ for cost-effective non-invasive stimulus generation and derivation of perioral stiffness in a group of healthy unrestrained adults, and a case study to illustrate the dose-dependent effects of Levodopa on perioral stiffness in an individual with advanced Parkinson’s disease who exhibited marked dyskinesia and rigidity.

Objective To measure and compare the perioral stiffness among three groups of pediatric subjects: a group of patients with a repaired cleft lip (and palate) who had a secondary lip revision surgery (revision), another group of patients with repaired cleft lip (and palate) who did not have secondary surgery (nonrevision), and a group of noncleft “normal” patients (noncleft). Design A parallel, three-group, nonrandomized clinical trial. Participants A total of 16 patients with repaired cleft lip/palate who did not have lip revision, 13 patients with repaired cleft lip/palate who had lip revision surgery and were tested at 18 to 24 months postsurgery, and 27 noncleft patients. Analysis Nonparticipatory perioral stiffness was sampled using a recently developed face-referenced measurement technology known as OroSTIFF. Perioral stiffness, derived as a quotient from resultant force and interangle lip span, was modeled with multilevel regression techniques. Real-time calculation of the perioral stiffness function demonstrated a significant quadratic relation between imposed interangle stretch and resultant force for each of the three groups. Results This nonlinear stiffness growth function was significantly elevated in the nonrevision patients compared with the noncleft controls and is likely due to the presence of scar tissue in the upper lip; it was significantly lower among patients with cleft lip/palate who completed lip revision surgery. Conclusion This study demonstrates the efficacy of applying an objective measurement to map differences in perioral tissue biomechanics among patients born with orofacial clefts.

Steven M. Barlow University of Kansas Jaehoon Lee University of Kansas Contact author: Steven M. Barlow, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders, Communication Neuroscience Laboratories, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Rm. 3001, Lawrence, KS 66045-7555. E-mail: smbarlow{at}ku.edu . Purpose: The objective of this study was to extend previous published findings in the authors' laboratory using a new automated technology to quantitatively characterize nonparticipatory perioral stiffness in healthy male adults. Method: Quantitative measures of perioral stiffness were sampled during a nonparticipatory task using a computer-controlled linear servo motor to impose a series of tensile displacements over a span of approximately 24 mm at the oral angle in 20 healthy young male adults. Perioral electromyograms were simultaneously sampled to confirm nonparticipation or passive muscle state. Perioral stiffness, derived as a quotient from resultant force ( F) and oral span ( X), was modeled with regression techniques and subsequently compared to previously reported perioral stiffness data for female adults. Results: Multilevel regression analysis revealed a significant quadratic relation between the perioral stiffness and interangle span; however, no significant difference was found between adult males and females. Conclusion: These normative measures will have application to future studies designed to objectively assess the effects of pathology (i.e., progressive neuromotor disease, traumatic brain insult) and intervention (pharmacologic, neurosurgical, and reconstructive surgery of the face [i.e., cleft lip, trauma, missile injuries]) on facial animation and speech kinematics. KEY WORDS: upper lip, lower lip, interangle, biomechanics, rigidity CiteULike     Connotea     Del.icio.us     Digg     Facebook     Reddit     Technorati     Twitter     What's this?

Emotion dysregulation is one of the challenges that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families face. It is unclear whether emotion dysregulation plays a mediating role in the relationship between sensory processing patterns and problem behaviors among these children. This study examined the relations between emotion dysregulation, behavioral problems, and sensory processing patterns among fifty-seven young children with ASD. Behavioral problems and sensory processing patterns were moderately to strongly correlated with emotion dysregulation. The relationship between sensory processing patterns and behavioral problems was significant with emotion dysregulation as a mediator. These findings help identify the relationship between emotion dysregulation, sensory processing patterns, and behavioral problems to facilitate the planning of intervention strategies for young children with ASD.

Sibling relationships remain understudied in typically developing adolescents who have siblings with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of adolescents who have a brother or a sister with a diagnosis of ASD using semi-structured interviews. Using thematic analysis, the participants reported having difficulties communicating with their siblings. Feeling a mixture of emotions was common when interacting with their siblings with ASD and emotional self-regulation was a typical coping strategy utilized by these adolescents. Despite the challenges, having a sibling with ASD led to closer relationships between the siblings. These findings offer insights into these adolescents’ needs and how they may be best supported, informing the practice of speech-language pathology and other health professions.