Motor speech and language in typical development and in complex neurodevelopmental conditions
Dr. Theresa Schölderle, Elisabet Haas & Prof. Dr. Wolfram Ziegler
Contact: theresa.schoelderle@ekn-muenchen.de
This study is a follow-up to our previous project „Speaking in typical development and after early brain damage: A development-based neurophonetic investigation of childhood dysarthria“ (DFG, 2016-2020). It addresses dysarthria (neurologic speech disorder) in children. For the first time, influences of child development and interactions with other dimensions of language acquisition are systematically investigated.
During the first funding period, an assessment approach was designed that allows the recording of standard speech samples from children in a developmentally appropriate manner. A large group of typically developing children was investigated, in order to generate auditory norms for neurophonetic parameters.
Based on these methodological foundations, we were able to answer various research questions: First, symptoms of childhood dysarthria were differentiated from developmental speech characteristics, which is a highly relevant prerequisite for clinical assessment. Furthermore, we examined to what extent childhood dysarthria is symptomatically comparable to speech disorders acquired in adulthood. Within the PhD project of Elisabet Haas (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, 2017-2020), the developmental courses of childhood dysarthria were also described in a longitudinal study.
In the follow-up project, the focus is on expanding the clinical target group. In addition to children with cerebral palsy, who were addressed in the first part of the project already, we will now include children with Down syndrome and address the significance of a dysarthric component in relation to concomitant abnormalities of this population (e.g., anatomical-structural variations, developmental language impairment, hearing impairment). In addition, children with specific language impairment are included to clarify whether primary disorders of language development are also associated with disordered speech motor functions.
Our project contributes to a thorough theoretical understanding of childhood dysarthria and speech motor development. It provides a foundation for a specific and valid clinical assessment.
This project was initially funded by the Graduate School Language & Literature of the LMU (2015-2016). A first funding from the German Research Foundation followed (SCHO 1742/1-1; ZI 469/18-1; 2016-2020), which was then granted a prolongation (SCHO 1742/1-2; ZI 469/18-2; 2020-2025). Elisabet Haas’ PhD project was supported by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (2017-2020).
Online Teaching Module Childhood Dysarthria
We offer a freely available online teaching module providing information on childhood dysarthria, a condition that has attracted little attention in research and teaching so far. The website contains basic facts on the disorder, it illustrates approaches to assessment and treatment, and it offers a listening training for visitors, with the aim of improving auditory evaluation skills. All content is in German.
www.lernmodule-sprachtherapie.de/kindliche-dysarthrien
Publications
- Arnold, E., Bohnert-Kraus, M., Lochbihler, L., Feil, S., Ita, C., Haas, E., Schölderle, T., Reising, L. (2023). Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Bei Kindern Mit Cerebralparese Und Dysarthrie. Forum Logopädie, 37(6), 12-17.
- Haas, E., Ziegler, W., Schölderle, T. (2024). Age Estimation and Gender Attribution in Typically Developing Children and Children With Dysarthria. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(3), 1236-1253.
- Haas, E., Schölderle, T. (2023). Hören Erkennen Verstehen: Auditive Diagnostik Kindlicher Dysarthrien Mit BoDyS-KiD. Sprache - Stimme - Gehör, 47(4), 182-183.
- Haas, E., Schölderle, T. (2023). Kindliche Dysarthrien. In Mayer, A., Ulrich, T. (eds.), Studienbuch Sprachheilpädagogik (pp. 376-381). Kohlhammer.
- Haas, E., Ziegler, W., Schölderle, T. (2022). Entwicklungsverläufe kindlicher Dysarthrien: Auditive Profile und Verständlichkeit. Neurologie & Rehabilitation, 28(2), 85-89.
- Haas, E., Ziegler, W., Schölderle, T. (2022). Intelligibility, Speech Rate, and Communication Efficiency in Children with Neurologic Conditions. A Longitudinal Study on Childhood Dysarthria. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(4), 1817-1835.
- Haas, E., Ziegler, W., Schölderle, T. (2021). Developmental Courses in Childhood Dysarthria: Longitudinal Analyses of Auditory Perceptual Parameters. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64(5), 1421-1435.
- Haas, E., Ziegler, W., Schölderle, T. (2020). Dysarthriediagnostik Mit Kindern - Das Testmaterial der BoDyS-KiD. Sprache - Stimme - Gehör, 44(4), 189-193.
- Jurkutat, A., Götz, R., Barthold, M., Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Klepper, J. (2022). Der Glukosetransporter (Glut1)-Defekt. Ein neues Syndrom als Herausforderung für die Sprach- und Sprechtherapie. Frühförderung interdisziplinär, 41(4), 199-211.
- Kuschmann, A., Schölderle, T., Haas, E. (2023). Clinical Practice in Childhood Dysarthria: An Online Survey of German-Speaking Speech-Language Pathologists. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 32(6), 2802-2826.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Kuschmann, A. (2024). Die sprachtherapeutische Versorgung von Kindern mit Dysarthrien - Eine Online-Umfrage zum Status quo und Implikationen für Forschung und Praxis. Forum Logopädie, 38(3), 16-21.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Ziegler, W. (2023). Speech Naturalness in the Assessment of Childhood Dysarthria. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 32, 1633-1643.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Ziegler, W. (2022). Childhood Dysarthria - Auditory-Perceptual Profiles Against the Background of Typical Speech Motor Development. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 65(6), 2114-2127.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Baumeister, S., Ziegler, W. (2021). Intelligibility, Articulation Rate, Fluency, and Communicative Efficiency in Typically Developing Children. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64(7), 2575-2585.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Ziegler, W. (2020). Age Norms for Auditory-Perceptual Neurophonetic Parameters - a Prerequisite for the Assessment of Childhood Dysarthria. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 63(4), 1071-1082.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E. (2020). Diagnostik Und Therapie Kindlicher Dysarthrien. Sprachförderung und Sprachtherapie in Schule und Praxis, 20(3), 189-194.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Ziegler, W. (2020). Dysarthrien Bei Kindern: Informationen Für Therapeuten Und Eltern. Schulz-Kirchner Verlag GmbH.
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Ziegler, W. (2020). The Occurrence of Standard Dysarthria Syndromes in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. (early online)
- Schölderle, T., Haas, E., Ziegler (2018). Dysarthrien Bei Kindern. Forum Logopädie, 32(3), 16-21.
Scientific cooperations
- Katie Hustad, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Antje Mefferd, Vanderbilt University
- Anja Kuschmann, University of Strathclyde
- Annette Baumgärtner, Universität zu Lübeck
- Annette Fox-Boyer, Universität zu Lübeck