Daniutė, Simona

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to investigate how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) from Estonia, Finland, and Lithuania rate the significance of different features for diagnosing childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) in their languages. Method: An online survey was conducted among 197 Estonian, Finnish, and Lithuanian SLPs who have worked with children with CAS. The SLPs were asked to rate the significance of 63 features for CAS diagnosis in their respective language. Cross-linguistic patterns in diagnostic features were examined with simple correspondence analysis (SCA) and via descriptive statistics. Results: The ratings revealed six to seven diagnostic features that were considered very significant for CAS diagnosis by the majority of respondents in each country. The SCA highlighted differences between Lithuanian SLPs and Estonian and Finnish SLPs. Some possible language-specific associations were noted, such as palatalization errors for Lithuanian and Estonian and diphthong distortions for Estonian. The respondents from all countries rated highly those features that can easily be applied to most languages (e.g., groping) and gave lower ratings to features that may be influenced by the linguistic structure of different languages (e.g., word stress errors). Conclusions: Overall, SLPs provided high ratings to CAS features that occur universally across languages, whereas features specific to languages, such as prosody-related errors, were not as highly rated. Several language-specific features were highlighted, providing direction for future research and emphasizing the importance of language-specific considerations in CAS research and diagnosis.

Theoretical background. The main diagnostical features of childhood apraxia of speech are (ASHA, 2007): inconsistent errors over repeated productions of the same target; lengthened and disrupted coarticulatory transitions between speech sounds; inappropriate prosody at word or sentence level stress. Others (luzzini-Seigel et al., 2015; Shriberg et al., 2017) emphasizes detailed features, which fits the ASHA structure of CAS diagnostics. Aim of the research is to identify the key diagnostic features that Lithuanian speech and language pathologists (SLPs) consider essential for diagnosing childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) based on their clinical expertise. Research method. This paper is prepared as a part of the survey Assessment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech: A Crosslinguistic Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists, conducted by M.Lahtein-Kursa, in 2022. In this paper focus is payed to the open-ended answers of Lithuanian SLPs (N=69). Thematic analysis of the data were conducted using external evidence. Findings. Lithuanian SLPs consider most important CAS diagnostical features: prolonged and interrupted coarticulation (speech initiation, repetition difficulties, intrusive schwa, difficulties in polysyllabic words and consonant clusters, interrupted coarticulation); inconsistency of speech errors (consonant/vowel distortions, omissions, substitutions), inappropriate prosody (equal stress errors, speech rate) and poor speech intelligibility. SLPs emphasize other important conditions related to CAS, such as: oral apraxia (voluntary oral movements imitating, coordination difficulties, articulation groping), coordination disorder (clumsiness, poor gross/fine motor), developmental language disorder, lack of phonological awareness, cognitive behaviour issues and slow progress. Discussion. There is a broad understanding among Lithuanian SLPs, that CAS is comorbid with other disorders, which is consistent with external evidence supporting the comorbid nature of CAS (McNeill et al., 2009; Chenausky, et al., 2023). Lithuanian SLPs possess expertise in identifying CAS, however, there is a need for greater emphasis on recognizing more specific motor-speech related diagnostic features of CAS.

The purpose is to discuss research-based terminology of language disorder (LD) of unknow origin in english-speaking and other languages than english speaking countries, including Lithuania. Theoretical background.Developmental language disorder (DLD) is common condition, that affects about 7 % of the population (Calderir kt., 2022; Norbury et al., 2016). Numerous studies have shown that DLD is not well known in general public (Thordardottir et al., 2021), specific groups (de Lemos et al., 2022) and under-researched (Bishop, 2010; McGregor, 2020). DLD is characterized by (Bishop et al., 2017; ASHA, n. d. etc.): difficulty with language learning not attributable to other known conditions, such as genetic syndromes, autism, hearing impairment, intellectual disability; heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder that persist throughout childhood and into adulthood; child with DLD may have a low level of nonverbal IQ. Research method. Review of scientific literature in english and lithuanian languages is the method used. Findings and discussion. Focusing on terminology of children with unexplained LD continues more than a decade (McGregor, 2020; Rice, 2020; Bishop, 2014, 2017; Reilly, Bishop & Tomblin, 2014, etc.). As mentioned Leonard (2020), it „might lead to important changes“ (p. 6). The multinational and multidisciplinary CATALISE group recommended the label „DLD“ and identification criteria (Bishop et al, 2016; 2017). This high profile project prompted changes in Europe and behind: a separate Delphi or consensus studies was conducted in German-speaking countries and Norway; intensive debate was held in Sweden, Spanish-speaking regions, etc. Despite that, no significant changes have occurred in Lithuania yet. Current research evidence and theory suggest that it is now time to move on (Reilly et al., 2014), by opinion of both authors, Baltic region too

Background. Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a motor-based speech sound disorder with a core impairment in planning the precise spatiotemporal parameters of speech movement sequences (ASHA, 2007). Key diagnostic characteristics of CAS, emphasized by Yorkston et al. (2010), Fish (2016), Strand (2016) can be categorized into non-speech oral motor difficulties, speech sound errors, prolonged and interrupted coarticulation, inappropriate prosody, context-related speech issues, and other associated conditions. This research aims to identify the diagnostic characteristics that Lithuanian speech and language pathologists (SLPs) consider important for diagnosing CAS.

Methods. The data of this research were collected as part of Lahtein-Kürsa (2002) PhD project 'Manifestation and Assessment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech in Estonian-Speaking Children'. An online survey was designed to assess how strongly SLPs from Estonia, Finland, and Lithuania associate specific features with the diagnosis of CAS. In this paper, particular attention is given only to the open-ended responses provided by SLPs from Lithuania (N=69). Both qualitative and quantitative content analyses of the data were conducted.

Results. Lithuanian SLPs consider prolonged and interrupted coarticulation (N=38), specific non speech oral motor (N=20) and speech sound (N=19) error patterns as the most important diagnostic characteristics of CAS. In contrast to theoretical findings, features related to inappropriate prosody (N=6) are identified as diagnostic markers of CAS infrequently. SLPs highlights other significant conditions associated with CAS diagnosis, including coexisting language disorder (N=27), slow progress in therapy (N=11), poor gross and fine motor skills (N=11), concentration and behavioral issues (N=15), other learning difficulties (N=11).

Conclusions. SLPs tend to focus less on appropriate prosody and context-related speech errors and highlight the coexisting challenges in language, motor and learning difficulties, faced in CAS cases. SLPs acknowledge the complexity of CAS and the need to address multiple factors in assessment.

Short introduction. Phonetic and phonological disorders are the most common disorders in pre-school (10–15%) and school age (6%) children (Enderby et al., 2009; McLeod, Harrison, 2009; Lof, 2015). In the international context, an obvious progress in research on speech sound disorders of children in English is observed (Roddam, McCurtin, Murphy, 2019; Baker, McLeod, 2011b). Despite that, cross-linguistic research studies still too little emphasise the highlight specific characteristics of phonological disorder of other language groups (e.g. Baltic, Slavic, Finno-Ugric etc.). Moreover, relevance of this topic is substantiated by the situation of the recent decade of intensive search for mmon definitions of speech and language disorders throughout the European Union countries (Dokoza et al., 2015). The research aim. To identify structural components of the concept of the phonological disorder and manifestation of them. Methods and research sample. An authentic online questionnaire-based survey designed by the researchers was used. Descriptive statistics, multi-dimensional statistical methods were employed: exploratory factorial analyses, second order factor analysis (Varimax rotation). 162 of Lithuanian speech and language therapists (SLTs) from Lithuania took part in the research. The research sample was formed by probability sampling; simple random sampling was applied. Main results and conclusions. When differentiating and identifying the phonological disorder, the following features are significant by opinion of Lithuanian SLTs: difficulties of the phonological awareness, speech and adjacent difficulties in learning; consistent errors in substituting, omitting, assimilating sounds; alterations in speech motor skills; difficulties in the use of sound in speech and syllables, repetition of words. These features and their characteristics will be discussed in more detail way. To sum up manifestation of them, the respondents assessed difficulties in the use of sounds and syllables, repetition of words and phonological awareness in highest scores. The lowest scores were given to speech motor skills, i.e. alterations of breathing, voice, phonation and prosody as well as structure and functions of the apparatus of articulation.

Phonological skills encompass phonological awareness, phonologicalshort-term memory and rapid naming. These are perhaps the most frequently analysed phonological processes related to reading and (or) writing in the scientific literature. The research purpose is to reveal the theoretical characteristics of assessment of phonological skills and their correlation with specific learning disorder / dyslexia1 at the national and international levels. The authors hold the opinion that this topic will be relefant for the development of knowledge on phonological skills for both, researchers and practitioners. The analysis of scientific papers by Lithuanian and foreign authors based on the theoretical analysis of the concept (Bitinas, Rupšienė & Žydžiūnaitė, 2008) has been carried out. The analysis was conducted in compliance with the following sequence: 1) the object of analysis (phonological skills (PS)) was set; 2) structural components of the concept (phonological awareness (PA), phonological memory (PM), rapid automatized naming (RAN)) were pointed out; 3) characteristics that define the said components, their correlations with dyslexia as well as assessment features were identified. Results/conclusions. Acording scientific research data, assessment of PS includes: the assessment of PA, encompassing all four levels of skills (word, syllable, rhyme, phoneme); the assessment of PM, when repeating queues of numbers, words and nonwords; the assessment of RAN, when naming visual stimuli (colours, objects, numbers, letters, etc.) as rapidly and precisely as possible. Extensive research conducted in various foreign languages allowed demonstrating obvious correlations between PS and dyslexia. It was found out that individuals with dyslexia had insufficient skills in this field. Nevertheless, results of the surveyed long-term investigations demonstrate that two indicators predict reading attainments in pre-school and pre-primary age best: PA and RAN.