Background Repetitive behaviours are frequently observed in individuals with intellectual disability. The present study examined the profile, inter-correlations, and predictive correlates of repetitive behaviours in males with FXS, the leading inherited cause of intellectual disability. Specific child characteristics examined as predictors included: anxiety, nonverbal cognition, and autism social-affective symptomatology. Method Participants were 39 boys with FXS (aged 6–10 years). Repetitive behaviours were measured using the Repetitive Behavior Scale – Revised (RBS-R) – a 43-item caregiver-report measure normed on individuals with intellectual disability. Results Restricted Interests and Sensory Motor behaviours were reported as most problematic for this sample of boys, whereas Self-injurious behaviours were less problematic. All subscales of the RBS-R were significantly inter-correlated. Nonverbal IQ was negatively related, whereas anxiety and social affective symptoms of ASD were positively related, to scores for Restricted Interests. Anxiety was also positively related to scores for Compulsive behaviours and Ritualistic Sameness behaviours. Conclusions This study provides a preliminary description of repetitive behaviours in males with FXS, which may form the groundwork for future research.

Aim We examined three communication ability classification paradigms for children with cerebral palsy (CP): the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), the Viking Speech Scale (VSS), and the Speech Language Profile Groups (SLPG). Questions addressed inter-judge reliability, whether the VSS and the CFCS captured impairments in speech and language, and whether there were differences in speech intelligibility among levels within each classification paradigm. Method 80 children (42 males) with a range of types and severity levels of CP participated (mean age, 60 months; SD 4.8 months). Two speech-language pathologists classified each child via parent-child interaction samples and previous experience with the children for the CFCS and VSS, and uisng quantitative speech and language assessment data for the SLPG. Intelligibility scores were obtained using standard clinical intelligibility measurement. Results Kappa values were .67 (95% CI [.55, .79]) for the CFCS, .82 (95% CI [.72, .92]), for the VSS, .95 (95% CI [.72, .92]) for the SLPG. Descriptively, reliability within levels of each paradigm varied, with the lowest agreement occurring within the CFCS at levels II (42%), III (40%), and IV (61%). Neither the CFCS nor the VSS were sensitive to language impairments captured by the SLPG. Significant differences in speech intelligibility were found among levels for all classification paradigms. Interpretation Multiple tools are necessary to understand speech, language, and communication profiles in children with CP. Characterization of abilities at all levels of the ICF will advance our understanding of the ways that speech, language, and communication abilities present in children with CP.

No previous study has examined a distance-delivered parent-implemented language intervention for young boys with fragile X syndrome. Mothers were able to increase their use of verbally responsive language. Intervention efficacy might be enhanced by incorporating an augmentative and alternative communication device for some children and a more concerted focus on increasing the frequency of child communication acts. Findings provide preliminary support for the efficacy of the distance delivery format.

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a,bPurpose: We examined variability of speech intelligibility scores and how well intelligibility scores predicted group membership among 5-year-old children with speech motor impairment (SMI) secondary to cerebral palsy and an agematched group of typically developing (TD) children. Method: Speech samples varying in length from 1-4 words were elicited from 24 children with cerebral palsy (mean age 60.50 months) and 20 TD children (mean age 60.33 months). Two hundred twenty adult listeners made orthographic transcriptions of speech samples (n = 5 per child). Results: Variability associated with listeners made a significant contribution to explaining the variance in intelligibility scores for TD and SMI children, but the magnitude was greater for TD children. Intelligibility scores differentiated very well between children who have SMI and TD children when intelligibility was at or below approximately 75% and above approximately 85%. Conclusions: Intelligibility seems to be a useful clinical tool for differentiating between TD children and children with SMI at 5 years of age; however, there is considerable variability within and between listeners, highlighting the need for more than one listener per child to ensure validity of an intelligibility measure.