Dataset Information

Protocol for the Connected Speech Transcription of Children with Speech Disorders: An Example from Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

While it is known that connected speech has different features to single-word speech, there are currently few recommendations regarding connected speech transcription. This research therefore aimed to develop a clinically feasible protocol for connected speech transcription. The protocol was then used to assist with description of the connected speech of children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), as little is known about their connected speech characteristics.

Participants and methods

Following a literature review, the Connected Speech Transcription Protocol (CoST-P) was iteratively developed and trialled. The CoST-P was then used to transcribe 50 connected utterances produced by 12 children (aged 6-13 years) with CAS. The characteristics of participants' connected speech were analysed to capture independent and relational analyses.

Results

The CoST-P was developed, trialled, and determined to have adequate reliability and fidelity. The frequency of inter-word segregation (mean = 29) was higher than intra-word segregation (mean = 4). Juncture accuracy was correlated with intelligibility metrics such as percentage of consonants correct.

Conclusion

Connected speech transcription is challenging. The CoST-P may be a useful resource for speech-language pathologists and clinical researchers. Use of the CoST-P assisted in displaying CAS speech characteristics unique to connected speech (e.g., inter-word segregation and juncture).

SUBMITTER: Barrett C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6940559 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Protocol for the Connected Speech Transcription of Children with Speech Disorders: An Example from Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Barrett Catherine C McCabe Patricia P Masso Sarah S Preston Jonathan J

Folia phoniatrica et logopaedica : official organ of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) 20190703 2

<h4>Objective</h4>While it is known that connected speech has different features to single-word speech, there are currently few recommendations regarding connected speech transcription. This research therefore aimed to develop a clinically feasible protocol for connected speech transcription. The protocol was then used to assist with description of the connected speech of children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), as little is known about their connected speech characteristics.<h4>Particip ...[more]

PMID: 31269497

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Project description:Language assessment has a crucial role in the clinical diagnosis of several neurodegenerative diseases. The analysis of extended speech production is a precious source of information encompassing the phonetic, phonological, lexico-semantic, morpho-syntactic, and pragmatic levels of language organization. The knowledge about the distinctive linguistic variables identifying language deficits associated to different neurodegenerative diseases has progressively improved in the last years. However, the heterogeneity of such variables and of the way they are measured and classified limits any generalization and makes the comparison among studies difficult. Here we present an exhaustive review of the studies focusing on the linguistic variables derived from the analysis of connected speech samples, with the aim of characterizing the language disorders of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, including primary progressive aphasia, Alzheimer's disease, movement disorders, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A total of 61 studies have been included, considering only those reporting group analysis and comparisons with a group of healthy persons. This review first analyzes the differences in the tasks used to elicit connected speech, namely picture description, story narration, and interview, considering the possible different contributions to the assessment of different linguistic domains. This is followed by an analysis of the terminologies and of the methods of measurements of the variables, indicating the need for harmonization and standardization. The final section reviews the linguistic domains affected by each different neurodegenerative disease, indicating the variables most consistently impaired at each level and suggesting the key variables helping in the differential diagnosis among diseases. While a large amount of valuable information is already available, the review highlights the need of further work, including the development of automated methods, to take advantage of the richness of connected speech analysis for both research and clinical purposes.

Project description:Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a rare, severe, persistent pediatric motor speech disorder with associated deficits in sensorimotor, cognitive, language, learning and affective processes. Among other neurogenetic origins, CAS is the disorder segregating with a mutation in FOXP2 in a widely studied, multigenerational London family. We report the first whole-exome sequencing (WES) findings from a cohort of 10 unrelated participants, ages 3 to 19 years, with well-characterized CAS.As part of a larger study of children and youth with motor speech sound disorders, 32 participants were classified as positive for CAS on the basis of a behavioral classification marker using auditory-perceptual and acoustic methods that quantify the competence, precision and stability of a speaker's speech, prosody and voice. WES of 10 randomly selected participants was completed using the Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx Sequencing System. Image analysis, base calling, demultiplexing, read mapping, and variant calling were performed using Illumina software. Software developed in-house was used for variant annotation, prioritization and interpretation to identify those variants likely to be deleterious to neurodevelopmental substrates of speech-language development.Among potentially deleterious variants, clinically reportable findings of interest occurred on a total of five chromosomes (Chr3, Chr6, Chr7, Chr9 and Chr17), which included six genes either strongly associated with CAS (FOXP1 and CNTNAP2) or associated with disorders with phenotypes overlapping CAS (ATP13A4, CNTNAP1, KIAA0319 and SETX). A total of 8 (80%) of the 10 participants had clinically reportable variants in one or two of the six genes, with variants in ATP13A4, KIAA0319 and CNTNAP2 being the most prevalent.Similar to the results reported in emerging WES studies of other complex neurodevelopmental disorders, our findings from this first WES study of CAS are interpreted as support for heterogeneous genetic origins of this pediatric motor speech disorder with multiple genes, pathways and complex interactions. We also submit that our findings illustrate the potential use of WES for both gene identification and case-by-case clinical diagnostics in pediatric motor speech disorders.

Dataset Information

Protocol for the Connected Speech Transcription of Children with Speech Disorders: An Example from Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Objective

Participants and methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Protocol for the Connected Speech Transcription of Children with Speech Disorders: An Example from Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Similar Datasets

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