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Abstract: (933 Views)
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relative use of types of gestures and words in children with Down syndrome (DS) and to compare that with a group of typically developing (TD) children who were matched for expressive language ability. Also, to verify the relationship between total gesture and word production by children with DS and TD.
Methods: In this study, 30 Tamil-speaking children (15 children with DS and 15 TD children matched for expressive language age of DS) and their parents participated. The parents were instructed to play with their children normally, as they do at home, using the set of toys given and this session was videorecorded. Deictic gestures and words, as well as representational gestures and words, were analysed with a specific coding scheme.
Results: Children with DS used more deictic gestures (M = 35, SD = 14.10) than deictic words (M = 2.73, SD = 1.79), with a significant difference (p < 0.05, z = -3.40, p = 0.00064). Also, children with DS used more representational words (M = 46.13, SD = 22.63) than representational gestures (M = 12.53, SD = 8.20), with a significant difference (z = -3.29, p = 0.001).There was a significant moderate positive correlation between overall gesture and word production in children with DS (rs = 0.574, p = 0.02) and in expressive language age matched TD children ((rs = 0.558, p = 0.03). There was no significant difference between children in the DS and TD groups regarding the use of deictic gestures and words. There was a significant difference in the use of representative gestures (p = 0.0018) and words (p = 0.02) between children with DS and TD. Children with DS used more representational gestures compared to TD children.
Discussion: During parent-child interaction, similar to TD children, there is a link between gesture and word production in children with DS, a relationship that persists despite specific issues with DS children's expressive language traits. Children with DS used more representational gestures compared to TD children in order to compensate for their deficits in speech and language skills.
Methods: In this study, 30 Tamil-speaking children (15 children with DS and 15 TD children matched for expressive language age of DS) and their parents participated. The parents were instructed to play with their children normally, as they do at home, using the set of toys given and this session was videorecorded. Deictic gestures and words, as well as representational gestures and words, were analysed with a specific coding scheme.
Results: Children with DS used more deictic gestures (M = 35, SD = 14.10) than deictic words (M = 2.73, SD = 1.79), with a significant difference (p < 0.05, z = -3.40, p = 0.00064). Also, children with DS used more representational words (M = 46.13, SD = 22.63) than representational gestures (M = 12.53, SD = 8.20), with a significant difference (z = -3.29, p = 0.001).There was a significant moderate positive correlation between overall gesture and word production in children with DS (rs = 0.574, p = 0.02) and in expressive language age matched TD children ((rs = 0.558, p = 0.03). There was no significant difference between children in the DS and TD groups regarding the use of deictic gestures and words. There was a significant difference in the use of representative gestures (p = 0.0018) and words (p = 0.02) between children with DS and TD. Children with DS used more representational gestures compared to TD children.
Discussion: During parent-child interaction, similar to TD children, there is a link between gesture and word production in children with DS, a relationship that persists despite specific issues with DS children's expressive language traits. Children with DS used more representational gestures compared to TD children in order to compensate for their deficits in speech and language skills.
Article type: Original Research Articles |
Subject:
Speech therapy
Received: 2023/08/27 | Accepted: 2024/04/27
Received: 2023/08/27 | Accepted: 2024/04/27
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