In the last issue of 2014, we published an interesting selection of studies and papers made by the most renowned academic centers in the country, and one study conducted in Portugal.
The 17 articles presented in this issue are distributed as follows: 13 original articles, being four from the language field, three regarding oral-facial motricity, two about dysphagia, three related to audiology, one about voice , a systematic review, one evidence-based practice and two brief communications.
The first paper in the language field, by Lindau, Rossi and Giacheti, translated and adapted the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument - Second Edition (PLAI-2) to Brazilian Portuguese. The pilot-version in Portuguese was used in 30 individuals. The Brazilian version of PLAI-2 allowed discriminating the performance of participants from different age groups and verified that the raw score tended to increase with age. The necessary adjustments were made, and adaptation was in accordance with theoretical, semantic and cultural equivalences. The second paper, by Santos, Chiossi, Soares, Oliveira and Chiari, compared the performance of persons with hearing-impairment and normal-hearing in tests of semantic and phonologic verbal fluency. The study showed that individuals with hearing-impairment with lower schooling tend to evoke fewer words in the semantic and phonological category in relation to normal-hearing persons and that schooling is relevant for the analysis of verbal fluency among persons with hearing-impairment. The third article in the language field, by Vieira, Marques, Cáceres-Assenço and Befi-Lopes, compared the occurrence of speech disfluencies during the production of narratives among students with SLI and their age-matched peers. The study concluded that the occurrence of speech disfluencies during the production of narratives was higher among students with SLI than their age-matched peers, and disfluencies classified as non-stuttering were more frequent in this population. The last paper in the language field, by Alves e Castro, Reis Baptista and Celeste, aimed at analyzing the comparison of speech fluency between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese speakers, and concluded that speech therapists can use the same speech fluency evaluation in Portugal and in Brazil, especially regarding common and stuttering disfluencies; it is important to look out for speech rate.
The first article in the oral-facial motricity field, by Zuculo, Kanap and Pinato, investigates and associates the sleep pattern and the quality of life in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) and a control group. Five questionnaires of the field were applied, and results showed that 60.5% of individuals with CP presented sleep disorders and deficit in quality of life. The conclusion is that sleep disorders directly affect the well-being of individuals with CP. The second paper in this field, by Bautzer and Guedes, aimed at verifying the reasons for long of failed therapeutic processes in patients with cleft lip and palate and speech-related difficulties. Children were divided in two groups, with isolated cleft lip and palate and manifestations of reading and writing disorders. Speech and language tests were performed. The conclusion was that malformation can make the process of speech and language acquisition more difficult, thus prolonging the therapeutic process. The third paper about oral-facial motricity, by Macedo and Bianchini, aimed at verifying myofunctional orofacial characteristics in young adults and analyzing data from the clinical examination of individuals with and without complaints. Participants were divided in two groups, with and without complaints, and assessed by 3 speech-language pathologists. In the clinical evaluation, the conclusion was that the main disorders refer to changes in jaw movements, chewing and swallowing patterns. Several items of the evaluation are not different form the group without complaints, so they should be carefully analyzed.
The first article on dysphagia, by Mancopes, Gonçalves, Costa, Favero, Drozdz, Bilheri and Schumacher, aimed at correlating the reason for referral to the speech therapy service in a hospital with the results of the clinical and objective assessment of the risk of dysphagia. This is a retrospective study, with database analysis. The conclusion was that there is correlation between clinical, objective assessment and the mean difference between the variables for the reason for referral, which demonstrates the importance of associating data from the patient's history and the results of the clinical assessment and complementary tests. The second article in this field, by Uchimura, Barcelos, Paiva, Crespo and Mourão, assessed the location of hard gelatin capsules in the pharyngeal phase triggering in asymptomatic adults. Participants were submitted to videofluoroscopy swallowing study and ingested hard capsules of different sizes. The conclusion was that the size of the capsule affects the location of the pharyngeal phase triggering and that smaller capsules begin the pharyngeal phase in the most anterior region compared to larger capsules.
The first paper regarding audiology, by Samuel, Goffi-Gomez, Bittencourt, Tsuji and Brito, verified the effectiveness of the remote programming of cochlear implants (CI) by the stimulation levels and results in the perception of speech and free-field audiometry tests. Twelve users who had been using the device for at least 12 months were selected. After programming, audiometric tests were performed and the results of the remote programming were compared to those of the live programming. There was statistical difference in the mean minimum levels in three electrodes, and maximum levels in one electrode. The second paper, by Moret, Belvilacqua, Zabeu, Morettin and Stefanini, aimed at evaluating parental perspectives regarding the CI and the evolution of the child using the CI. This is a cross-sectional study, whose final sample was composed of 50 parents/caregivers of children using CI. The questionnaire "Perspectives of parents of children with cochlear implants" was used, enabling the quantification of this perspective. Results indicate good expectations from the parents regarding communication, independence and social participation of the child after the CI surgery, besides, this questionnaire was a useful tool for the clinical practice. The third article in the field of audiology, by Villa and Zanchetta, studied temporal auditory ordering and resolution abilities in children with and without a history of early otitis media with effusion and recurrent otitis media with effusion, and responses related to age. Children were divided in two groups, according to the occurrence or absence of episodes of otitis media. Then, groups were divided in age subgroups and all of them underwent temporal tests. It was concluded that episodes of otitis media with effusion, in the first year of life, persisting in pre-school and school age, have a negative effect on the assessed temporal skills.
The only article about voice, by Dajer, Nunes, Cordeiro, Hachiya, Tsuji, Simões-Zenari, Souza and Nemr, proposed and verified the feasibility of a vocal program intervention in patients with signs of presbylarynx, with or without vocal complaints. Subjects participated in the Cognitive Vocal Program associated with vocal techniques. They presented improved vocal quality and reduced signs of presbylarynx in laryngoscopy. The authors concluded that the program is feasible, well designed, and there is no need for adjustments for the continuity of the project.
The systematic review about language, written by Navas, Ferraz and Borges, analyzed the universal nature of the phonological processing deficit hypothesis for dyslexia. The review included 187 articles of the past ten years in which the phonological processing deficit had been explored in several languages, including different writing systems. The conclusion was that the phonological processing hypothesis was considered an explanation for dyslexia in many languages and writing systems.
The evidence-based practice article, by Barberena, Brazil, Melo, Mezzomo, Mota and Keske-Soares, presented recent studies that use the ultrasound in the fields of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, showing the applicability of this technique in different subareas. A bibliographic research was carried out, and papers from the last five years involving studies with humans were selected. The analysis was descriptive and separate for each Speech Language Pathology and Audiology subarea. The conclusion was that different studies approached the use of ultrasound in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. These studies confirm new possibilities for the use of this instrument as a diagnostic tool and innovative assessment and therapeutic possibilities.
The purpose of the first brief communication, by Dassie-Leite, Delazeri, Baldissarelli, Weber, Lacerda Filho, was to obtain vocal self-assessment rates of individuals without vocal complaints and relating them to the variables regarding gender, profession and age group. This study counted with 136 voice professionals and 465 nonprofessionals. Individuals answered the identification questionnaires and the V-RQOL, the IDV and the VAPP. The conclusion was that the type of instrument used and the gender and profession variables can affect the vocal self-assessment result. The second brief communication, by Rocha, Moreti, Amin, Madazio and Behlau, validated the protocol Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) to Brazilian Portuguese. The authors verified the cross-cultural equivalence of EASE by using its translated version with 41 Brazilian singers, providing adjustments in some items. The authors state that the translated version (EASE-BR) has adequate cultural equivalence. The validation of this instrument is ongoing.
Once again, we would like to express, in this last issue of 2014, our sincere acknowledgement and deep gratitude to all of those who took part in this process, by sharing with us the mission of disclosing the science we produce through texts that are coherent, cohesive and easy to read. Authors, revisers, editors and readers play essential roles in the development and improvement of the project of a consistent scientific publication, which shows high-quality research. If we consider specifically the Brazilian reality, CoDAS mainly publishes studies carried out in postgraduate programs, in the field of science and human communication disorders and correlated areas, thus contributing with the approximation between science and society. The knowledge produced in research centers only makes sense if it can be put into practice and, as a consequence, help the improvement of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology performed in Brazil, which is an inspiration for many other countries. This is the main form of interaction between scientific community and professional work, one of the most important responsibilities of our scientific society, the Brazilian Society of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology (SBFa). Publishing a scientific journal that reveals the patterns of quality and consistency of our science, providing updated and scientifically based information for the profession and registering the progresses of our scientific production are part of SBFa's mission, and are essential to guarantee the professional autonomy of the speech language pathologist.
Speaking on her behalf, Fernanda has contributed with this activity in SBFa for nine years, as a scientific editor and/or executive of the Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Fonoaudiologia, of the Jornal da SBFa, and now, CoDAS. Mara's contribution has also been essential, in the same way, by sharing the different positions with Fernanda and integrating different perspectives in the editorial role for five years. In this period, we tried to improve our work and the systematic processes, without losing track of the ethical, human and scientific values of our profession. We know that we achieved little, in comparison to what still needs to be achieved, but we certainly contributed with the consolidation of the main publication in the field of Brazilian Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. We did not do any of that alone; we always counted on the collaboration, partnership, trust and constructive criticism from numberless partners. We have learned a lot, and also put our priorities and personal interests aside. Students and professors taught us how to analyze their studies and to stand out the real progress that sometimes gets lost in the numbers. We are extremely grateful to each one of the authors, revisers, editors, collaborators, readers and critics who provided us with this personal and scientific development. Now, we will fully return to our institutions; Fernanda, to the School of Medicine at Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), and Mara, to Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) and the Center of Voice Studies (CEV), and we are sure that our analysis will be more accurate and empathetic for our students.
Finally, many times we have expressed mutual recognition for the rare opportunity of working together, a casual encounter of two colleagues with such different fields of expertise, and that generated a true relationship of respect and friendship. SBFa's journals are also responsible for that!
In this last issue of 2014, we conclude our editorial cycle, which represents the transition of the publication with its own administration to a journal with professional bases, one that can actually compete with other journals in the field, even international ones. The team that succeeds us will receive a professional, live journal, with a stable flow of articles, revisers that are aware of their huge responsibility and a publishing house that is up-to-date with the best practices in the market. We wish the new team, led by the colleagues Dr. Ana Luiza Pinto Navas and Dr. Roberta Gonçalves da Silva, a great success and we will go back to our job as authors, being certain that now we have become better researchers, after having had the privilege of experiencing this process with hundreds of articles edited by us!
We wish a very happy 2015 to all of you and that our anticipated ISI indexing can be celebrated soon!
Fernanda Dreux Miranda FernandesMara Behlau
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Dec 2014
