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Verbal communication for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other communication challenges can be difficult or even impossible. Traditionally for those that have such severe communication difficulties, AAC apps often using visual systems, are used to facilitate communication. These systems however can take a long time to learn and master, especially those with intellectual impairments.

There are hundreds of millions of people in the world affected by various communication challenges including Autism, ALS, Cerebral Palsy, Strokes, brain and spinal cord injuries and deafness – many looking for greater independence, social inclusiveness, self expression and to be understood, said Smartstones Founder and CEO, Andreas Forsland. Communication is the most important part of the human experience and we want to ensure every person has the ability to express their most basic needs. With 2.3 million nonverbal children in the USA with Autism alone, and over 70 million on the autism spectrum worldwide, everyone has a unique need when it comes to a communication interface.

A revolutionary new system called :prose works by translating sensor data such as touch, motion and now thought gestures into spoken words. The phrases that are produced can be customised to select gestures that are easy to action or phrases that are most frequently used. The integration of EEG technology means that :prose is accessible to a larger population of people with a range of impairments, including those with ALS, Parkinsons, Cerebral Palsy and other conditions that inhibit motor-skills conditions. Many of these individuals find touch gestures difficult and therefore :prose would be of great benefit to these populations.

People have been trying to get neural devices to speak for decades, and :prose’s cutting edge assistive technology is allowing communication for a nonverbal individual. said Gil Trevino, Lead Direct Support Professional at PathPoint. One of our participants now can communicate by using mental commands. Within minutes she was speaking several phrases aloud, compared to years of training with other technologies. This advancement has allowed someone who once was non-verbal communicator, the ability to communicate thoughts, feelings and answers in a way she never has before.

Smartstones is now worked alongside PathPoint, a nonprofit organization that provides services to over 2,000 individuals with developmental, psychiatric, and physical disabilities. These organisations are working to test the “think to speak” technology. PathPoint participants with severe developmental disabilities have been able to use brainwave commands to communicate, while connected to EEG headset. Smartstones :prose is available to download on iPhone or iPad and can be used with a variety of Bluetooth connected sensory devices, including Smartstones Touch™, Apple Watch and now an Emotiv Insight or Emotiv Epoc wireless EEG headset.

Reference

http://www.prweb.com

The post “Think to Speak” Technology Finally Becomes a Reality for Millions of People Worldwide Unable to Verbally Communicate appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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There is a lot of evidence-based research to support the treatment of stuttering for pre-schoolers and adults. In Australia, there is near consensus among speech pathologists that the Lidcombe Program is the most effective treatment for pre-schoolers who stutter.  Clinical trials completed in Australia and across the globe have proven that it works for the majority of children countless times.

But what if it doesn’t? And what about children who are no longer preschool aged? We need better treatments for school-aged children who stutter. Research groups, like the Australian Stuttering Research Centre (ASRC) are working to develop and test new treatments. But front-line speech pathologists and families of school kids who stutter can’t afford to wait for the perfect treatment.

Why we can’t afford to wait for the perfect treatment?

Besides the fact that there is a possibility that no perfect treatment will ever be developed there are a number of reasons to treat stuttering for school-aged children as soon as possible. Here are just a few:

  1. Stuttering becomes harder to treat and control with age. Full recovery also continues to become less likely with growing age as the neural pathways in the brain become cemented and less malleable.
  2. With entry into school, stuttering can result in social and emotional problems (Conture & Guitar, 1993). They are at risk of bullying and teasing with studies showing more than 59-80% of stuttering children being bullied about their speech; 38% on most days or every day in primary school; 11-12 year old kids who stutter were almost three times as likely to be bullied as kids who did not stutter; and school children are far more likely to see peers who stutter as victims of bullying than children who do not stutter (Blood & Blood, 2007; Davis et al., 2002; Ezrati-Vinacour et al, 2001; Langevin et al., 1998).
  3. Studies have also shown that children from 4 onwards begin to experience negative reactions from peers and school-aged children that stutter often develop negative attitudes towards speech and communication, include actively avoiding speaking situations and this continues to worsen during the school years (Denil & Brutten, 1991, Vanryckeghem & Brutten, 1997; Langevin et al., 2009)
  4. Children who stutter are more likely than those who don’t to repeat a year at school (Boyle et al., 1994) and they also report a lower quality of life than children who do not stutter (Beilby et al., 2012).
  5. These negative effects do outlast high school and can affect the individual’s further education and job opportunities (Yaruss, 2001).  Adults that stutter are also 7 times more likely to have an anxiety disorder compared to those who do not stutter (Iverach et al. 2009). There is a strong association between bullying during the primary school and subsequent anxiety (Gladstone et al., 2006). Social anxiety often starts during early teenage years, which means it’s likely develops during the primary school years (Smith et al., 2014; Messenger et al., 2015).

With all that said, where do you turn if there is no treatment method with strong supporting evidence to treat school-aged children who stutter? Each individual is different and treatment needs to be carefully selected based on a number of factors. There is exciting new evidence to support a hybrid treatment using syllable timed speech and the Lidcombe program. Click here to out more. It is important to work closely with a qualified speech pathologist experienced at treating fluency disorders to determine the right course of action for your child.

Contact us for results focused speech therapy

This article was written by our Speech Pathologist Ashleigh Fattah who is a Speech Pathology Australia member. If you have speech pathology related questions, make an appointment. We‘ll provide you with evidence based therapy targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

Reference

Andrews, C., O’Brian, S., Onslow, M., Packman A., Menzies, R & Lowe, R. (2016). Phase II trial of a syllable-timed speech treatment for school-age children who stutter. Journal of Fluency Disorders 48, 44-55.

The post Should Primary School aged stuttering be treated early or will my child recover naturally? appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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Treatment for a Parathyroid Adenoma with Parathyroidectomy

You can ask any medical authority about the condition known as parathyroid disease or hyperparathyroidism (they are usually one and the same), and what you will discover is that most would recommend the removal of the affected parathyroid gland.

The human body has four of these glands located behind the thyroid gland. These four small glands are in charge of regulating calcium levels in the body, and this is why any problems with them can generally result in a calcium deficiency in the bones or a flood of calcium in the bloodstream, among other similar conditions.

Typically, someone develops parathyroidism when a benign tumour develops on one of the glands. This is also known as parathyroid adenoma. The tumour itself is not going to cause any bodily harm, but it will cue the gland to create tremendous amounts of parathormone also know as PTH or parathyroid hormone. This keeps a steady supply of the hormone in the bloodstream, and this is an indicator to the body that calcium levels must be “boosted”. This can only be done by taking calcium from the bones, and the result is usually osteoporosis.

As if that were not bad enough, the condition also comes with a long list of complaints. Because there are no known medications to alleviate someone of the symptoms of this unusual condition, it is normal for a physician to suggest that the tumour (along with the tiny gland) is removed.

The Other Symptoms

In addition to the osteoporosis, the other symptoms are problematic because they generally make the individual feel extremely poorly.

For example, a standard list of symptoms relating to hyperparathyroidism includes:

  • A sense of grouchiness prompted by the other symptoms
  • Fatigue at a chronic level
  • Lack of concentration and interest
  • Sense of depression
  • Bone pain of the arms and legs
  • Poor sleep
  • GORD  or acid reflux
  • Low libido
  • Kidney stones from too much blood calcium
  • High blood pressure
  • Migraine headache
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • High liver test results
  • Thinning hair, among other symptoms

What is so remarkable is the simple fact that removing the tumour can bring the problems to an end almost immediately. In fact, most patients with parathyroid adenoma and the development of hyperparathyroidism report feeling better in a matter of days after the procedure.

Naturally, there is the need to monitor the other glands and all related blood levels, and to seek to restore any of the loss in bone density (this is the only cause for osteoporosis that can be reversed !), but the parathyroidectomy is considered a good remedy.

The Statistics

According to the medical literature, there are some very clear cure rates for the problem, and they include:

  • When all four of the glands are scrutinized the cure rates are reported up to 100%
  • The experience of the surgeon plays a key role in the long term outcome because it is a relatively uncommon surgical treatment
  • Because parathyroid glands are only the size of a grain of rice it can be a difficult procedure and choosing the right surgeon is key to success
  • Hyperparathyroidism can be caused by two or more of the glands
  • Complications of an incomplete surgery may be worse than the symptoms of the disease

What this tells us is that it is of the utmost importance to have an experienced surgeon assess the situation and perform the parathyroidectomy. This is a treatable issue but the best way is to work with an experienced parathyroid professional.

If you have questions or concerns about parathyroid gland problems or hyperthyroidism see your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a thyroid surgeon.

Reference

Medscape  review

The post Treatment for a Parathyroid Adenoma with Parathyroidectomy appeared first on Thyroid Clinic Sydney.

By

Treatment for a Parathyroid Adenoma with Parathyroidectomy

You can ask any medical authority about the condition known as parathyroid disease or hyperparathyroidism (they are usually one and the same), and what you will discover is that most would recommend the removal of the affected parathyroid gland.

The human body has four of these glands located behind the thyroid gland. These four small glands are in charge of regulating calcium levels in the body, and this is why any problems with them can generally result in a calcium deficiency in the bones or a flood of calcium in the bloodstream, among other similar conditions.

Typically, someone develops parathyroidism when a benign tumour develops on one of the glands. This is also known as parathyroid adenoma. The tumour itself is not going to cause any bodily harm, but it will cue the gland to create tremendous amounts of parathormone also know as PTH or parathyroid hormone. This keeps a steady supply of the hormone in the bloodstream, and this is an indicator to the body that calcium levels must be “boosted”. This can only be done by taking calcium from the bones, and the result is usually osteoporosis.

As if that were not bad enough, the condition also comes with a long list of complaints. Because there are no known medications to alleviate someone of the symptoms of this unusual condition, it is normal for a physician to suggest that the tumour (along with the tiny gland) is removed.

The Other Symptoms

In addition to the osteoporosis, the other symptoms are problematic because they generally make the individual feel extremely poorly.

For example, a standard list of symptoms relating to hyperparathyroidism includes:

  • A sense of grouchiness prompted by the other symptoms
  • Fatigue at a chronic level
  • Lack of concentration and interest
  • Sense of depression
  • Bone pain of the arms and legs
  • Poor sleep
  • GORD  or acid reflux
  • Low libido
  • Kidney stones from too much blood calcium
  • High blood pressure
  • Migraine headache
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • High liver test results
  • Thinning hair, among other symptoms

What is so remarkable is the simple fact that removing the tumour can bring the problems to an end almost immediately. In fact, most patients with parathyroid adenoma and the development of hyperparathyroidism report feeling better in a matter of days after the procedure.

Naturally, there is the need to monitor the other glands and all related blood levels, and to seek to restore any of the loss in bone density (this is the only cause for osteoporosis that can be reversed !), but the parathyroidectomy is considered a good remedy.

The Statistics

According to the medical literature, there are some very clear cure rates for the problem, and they include:

  • When all four of the glands are scrutinized the cure rates are reported up to 100%
  • The experience of the surgeon plays a key role in the long term outcome because it is a relatively uncommon surgical treatment
  • Because parathyroid glands are only the size of a grain of rice it can be a difficult procedure and choosing the right surgeon is key to success
  • Hyperparathyroidism can be caused by two or more of the glands
  • Complications of an incomplete surgery may be worse than the symptoms of the disease

What this tells us is that it is of the utmost importance to have an experienced surgeon assess the situation and perform the parathyroidectomy. This is a treatable issue but the best way is to work with an experienced parathyroid professional.

If you have questions or concerns about parathyroid gland problems or hyperthyroidism see your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a thyroid surgeon.

Reference

Medscape  review

The post Treatment for a Parathyroid Adenoma with Parathyroidectomy appeared first on Thyroid Clinic Sydney.

By


Hearing the word cancer is a life-altering event, even if it is only mentioned as a possibility. When it comes to the thyroid, the process of diagnosing cancer can be time consuming and difficult. If your doctor believes that your thyroid issues could be the result of a malignant or cancerous tumor, you will have to begin the process required for a complete diagnosis. While this may seem overwhelming, understanding what to expect, can help you know what to expect throughout the diagnosis process. This article aims to provide general information only and is not a substitute for thorough management by a doctor.

Symptoms of thyroid cancer

The first step in determining the potential cause of thyroid problems is to identify the symptoms. While many cancers of the thyroid produce no recognisable symptoms, many others do.

Thyroid cancer symptoms can include:

  • Lymph nodes in the neck that are enlarged
  • Difficulty with swallowing
  • One or more lumps in the front neck area
  • Changes in your voice
  • Chronic coughing that does not go away with treatment
  • Pain, stiffness, or discomfort in the neck

Your doctor will rely on you to be honest and open about the symptoms you are having. He or she will also perform a physical examination of your neck, to see if there are any areas of swelling or growths that you may not be aware of. Your doctor will also check any lumps that are present to determine how they feel and whether they cause pain.

Thyroid blood tests

Your doctor will usually request that you have blood tests done during the diagnosis process. These tests are used to measure the TSH level or thyroid-stimulating hormone. If these numbers are higher or lower than normal, it may be due to the thyroid not functioning properly. In some cases, other tests will be performed to check calcitonin and thyroglobulin and other hormone levels depending on the type of cancer the doctor suspects that you may have.

Imaging Tests

Imaging tests are another important part of thyroid cancer diagnosis. There are several types of medical imaging studies that may be needed.

Ultrasound imaging

This imaging test emits sound waves that bounce off the glands, lymph nodes, and other structures in your neck. When these sound waves bounce back, they create images or pictures that allow the doctor to see if there are any other nodules or lumps present in the thyroid that are unable to be felt. This test will allow your doctor to gain a better understanding of the shape and size of the nodules, as well as whether they are solid masses or filled with fluid. If your nodules are fluid-filled, this is a good indication that the growths are non-cancerous.

CT neck

The CT scan is an x-ray test that provides detailed cross-sectional images of your body. A neck CT scan can help determine the location and size of thyroid cancers and whether they have spread to nearby areas. The CT is complementary to an Ultrasound. CT scanning can show if the thyroid nodule has extended locally, for instance into the chest. This is also called retrosternal extension. A CT may also provide clear imaging of neck lymph nodes and also tracheal – wind pipe compression. A CT scan can also be used to look for spread into distant organs such as the lungs.

Thyroid nuclear imaging – Radioiodine scan

This test requires you to ingest radioactive iodine just before the testing begins. This substance will attach to the thyroid cells and any nodules that are present. The images produced by this scan allow your doctor to see if there are hot or cold nodules. Cold nodules generally absorb less of the radioactive iodine, while hot ones absorb much more. Nodules that are considered hot, meaning they soak up the radioactive iodine, are generally not cancer.

Thyroid Biopsy

If your doctor has performed all of the other tests, and there are any abnormal results, the next step is a biopsy. This procedure may be done with a needle to remove a tissue sample, or you may have to undergo surgery to remove your thyroid or a portion of it. These samples are then sent to the lab for the final diagnosis.

For more information about thyroid cytology click here.

The diagnostic process for thyroid cancer can be overwhelming. However, when you know why your doctor is making the decisions for tests and imaging, it can help you better understand the process.

If you have questions or concerns about thyroid lumps see your local doctor, who will arrange for you to see a thyroid surgeon.

Reference

http://www.medicinenet.com/thyroid_cancer

 

The post The Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer appeared first on Thyroid Clinic Sydney.

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