RESUMOObjetivo: verificar efeitos de um programa de bem-estar vocal aos consultores de um serviço de teleatendimento para a saúde. Métodos: participaram do estudo 27 consultores do Call Center VivaVoz que foram avaliados pré e pós-treinamento de voz por meio de análise perceptivo-auditiva da qualidade vocal, articulação, velocidade de fala, ressonância, intensidade e freqüência, por meio da emissão de vogais sustentadas e de fala encadeada com contagem de números de 1 à 20 e a emissão dos dias da semana. O registro de voz foi realizado em sistema digital e a escala japonesa GRBAS-I como instrumento de análise. Também foram realizadas a auto-avaliação vocal e o levantamento dos sintomas vocais. Atividades de voz foram divididas em cinco oficinas sobre saúde vocal, técni-cas de aquecimento e desaquecimento, articulação e respiração. Análises descritivas e bivariadas foram realizadas, utilizando Teste T para amostras pareadas e Teste de McNemar. Resultados: os resultados pré-intervenção são de que 50% das mulheres e 33% dos homens consultores apresentaram alterações em relação à respiração, 50% das consultoras com alterações na qualidade vocal e 33% dos homens dificuldades em relação à articulação. Após as oficinas, os resultados mostraram melhora da qualidade vocal, do padrão articulatório e da fluência de fala, bem como da satisfação vocal nos relatos dos consultores. Conclusão: observaram-se mudanças positivas na qualidade do atendimento à população, além da ampliação do conhecimento dos teleatendentes em relação ao uso correto da voz e manutenção do bem-estar vocal.

Introduction  In Brazil, estimates show that 14.7% of the adult population smokes, and changes in smell and taste arising from tobacco consumption are largely present in this population, which is an aggravating factor to these dysfunctions. Objectives  The objective of this study is to systematically review the findings in the literature about the influence of smoking on smell and taste. Data Synthesis  Our research covered articles published from January 1980 to August 2014 in the following databases: MEDLINE (accessed through PubMed), LILACS, Cochrane Library, and SciELO. We conducted separate lines of research: one concerning smell and the other, taste. We analyzed all the articles that presented randomized controlled studies involving the relation between smoking and smell and taste. Articles that presented unclear methodologies and those whose main results did not target the smell or taste of the subjects were excluded. Titles and abstracts of the articles identified by the research strategy were evaluated by researchers. We included four studies, two of which were exclusively about smell: the first noted the relation between the perception of puff strength and nicotine content; the second did not find any differences in the thresholds and discriminative capacity between smokers and nonsmokers. One article considered only taste and supports the relation between smoking and flavor, another considered both sensory modalities and observes positive results toward the relation immediately after smoking cessation. Conclusion  Three of the four studies presented positive results for the researched variables.

Purpose: To analyze the difference between nonsmokers and smokers on the changes in the perceptions of smell and taste and to verify the influence of these aspects in the emergence of compensatory movements during swallowing. Methods: To evaluate these aspects, capabilities of olfactory and gustatory recognition were observed, as well as the compensation swallowing. Twenty-four patients were evaluated in each study group aged from 18 years, grouped in a stratified way. The olfactory evaluation consisted in presenting seven essences and one of three options should be chosen. For the taste test, 16 flavors were offered in a non-sequential and decreasing way in amount of solute. Swallowing solid and liquid was evaluated, in which aspects of compensation perioral muscles were observed. Results: Worst performance in olfactory and gustatory tests among smokers (p≤0.01) was found. Through the results of χ2 and Fisher's exact tests, it was found that the contraction of the mentalis muscle is less observed in non-smokers, and smokers have an average degree of statistically significant change compared to nonsmokers. Furthermore, through the Spearman correlation coefficient, it was found that the worsening in the sensory tests implies increased compensation during swallowing in smokers. Conclusion: These data allowed us to verify that the sensory changes have influence on swallowing pattern, indicating that these changes are aspects that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of changes in swallowing.

Purpose:To conduct a systematic review of literature production related to risk factors for proper oral language development in children.Methods:We used the terms "child language," "risk factors," and "randomized controlled trial" in MEDLINE (accessed via PubMed), Lilacs, SciELO, and The Cochrane Library from January 1980 to February 2014. Randomized controlled trials involving the study of some risk factors related to child language were included. Works with individuals who were not from the age group 0–12 years and presented no reliable definition of risk factors were excluded. The research findings were classified according to their theme and categorized methodological aspects.Results:We observed the lack of a standardized list of risk factors for language available for health professionals. The main risk factor mentioned was family dynamics, followed by interaction with parents, immediate social environment, and encouragement given to the child in the first years of life. It was also observed that organic hazards such as brain injury, persistent otitis media, and cardiac surgery, besides the type of food and parental counseling, may be related to language disorders.Conclusion:More randomized controlled trials involving the evaluation of risk factors for child language and the creation of further studies involving children above 6 years of age and males are needed.

Discriminação fonêmica e a relação com os demais níveis linguísticos em crianças com desenvolvimento fonológico típico e com desvio fonológico evolutivoABSTRACT Purpose: To compare children with typical language development (TLD) and evolutional phonological disorder (EPD) regarding the phonemic discrimination and the linguistic performance of language levels (morphological, syntactic, semantic, and perceptual and productive vocabulary). Methods: The sample comprised 36 children, aged between 5 years and 7 years and 11 months, with TLD and EPD. Children with EPD were awaiting care in the speech units of two higher education institutions and children with TLD were screened in public schools. For inclusion in the study, the criteria were the following: being authorized by the informed consent and being within the required age group. After the inclusion of children, all subjects underwent the phonemic discrimination test with figures, to the average phrase value test, which assesses the morphosyntactic and semantic/lexical aspects, and the expressive vocabulary test. For statistical evaluation of the influence of variables, Spearman's nonparametric correlation coefficient was used, and for comparison between the groups regarding evaluation performance, Mann-Whitney test was used. Results: Only children with EPD showed influence of phonemic discrimination in other linguistic levels. In addition, a significant difference was observed between the performances of both groups in relation to the phonemic discrimination, vocabulary, and all levels assessed in the questions and description modality. Conclusion: The comparison between both groups showed a statistically significant difference in phonemic discrimination and morphosyntactic and lexical/semantic development, with better performance in the TLD group. RESUMOObjetivo: Comparar crianças com desenvolvimento típico de linguagem (DTL) e com desvio fonológico evolutivo (DFE) quanto à discriminação fonêmica e ao desempenho linguístico dos níveis da linguagem (morfológico, sintático, semântico e vocabulários perceptivo e produtivo). Métodos: A amostra foi constituída por 36 crianças, com idades de5a 7 anos e 11 meses e com DTL e com DFE. As crianças com DFE aguardavam atendimento nos setores de fala de duas Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) e as crianças com DTL foram triadas em escolas públicas. Para a inclusão na pesquisa, os critérios foram: autorização pelo Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido (TCLE), ter a idade estipulada e ter DTL. Após a inclusão das crianças, todos os sujeitos foram submetidos ao teste de figuras para discriminação fonêmica (TFDF), ao teste média de valores de frases (MVF), que avalia os aspectos morfossintáticos e semânticos/lexicais, e ao teste de vocabulário expressivo (TVExp). Para avaliação estatística da influência das variáveis, foi realizado o Study carried out at the Graduate Program in

Purpose This study investigated the effects of two levels of noise on the performance of young students of three educational levels and tested their ability to maintain attentional focus in reading and writing tasks. Methods 162 school children in the third, fourth and fifth grades were placed in three groups according to their educational level: Control Group (CG), Experimental Group A (GEA) and Experimental Group B (GEB). All groups were submitted to a Sustained Attention Test, Reading Assessment and Isolated Words Test and Writing Dictation Sub-test (part of the International Dyslexia Test). The GEA and GEB performed the tests in a noisy environment: 20dB and 40dB, respectively. The CG was assessed in the usual school environmental noise at the same time of the day. The data was submitted to an ANOVA, the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman correlation test. Results The higher the score on the Sustained Attention Test, the shorter the time spent reading and fewer errors in the dictation task. There were no differences across the three grades within the GEA (lower levels of noise) with regard to the effect of noise on attention and in the reading and writing task performance. The higher levels of noise for the GEB, however, decreased the attention levels, therefore increasing mistakes on the dictation test. Comparing the performance across educational levels on the reading tasks, the fourth grade presented decreased reading time, while the third and fifth grades spent more time reading. Conclusion Auditory interference can influence the ability to focus attention as well as worsen performance in reading and writing tasks at more intense noise levels.

Objetivo caracterizar o processamento auditivo de escolares que falharam na avaliação simplificada do processamento auditivo e comparar esses achados com os resultados na avaliação comportamental do processamento auditivo. Métodos realizou-se a avaliação audiológica básica (audiometria tonal e vocal e medidas de imitância acústica), bateria comportamental do processamento auditivo composta pelos testes PSI (Pediatric Speech Intelligibility) versão em português, PPS (Pitch Pattern Sequence), MLD (Masking Level Difference), SSW (Stagged Spondaic Words) versão em português e GIN (Gap in Noise) e reteste da avaliação simplificada do processamento auditivo com escolares de 9 a 14 anos, matriculados entre o 4º ano e a 8ª série do ensino fundamental de uma escola de ensino público de Porto Alegre. Resultados dos 11 escolares avaliados que falharam na avaliação simplificada, 10 (90,9%) apresentaram alterações na bateria comportamental do processamento auditivo. Os subperfis com maior número de alterações foram os de decodificação e integração, as habilidades auditivas mais prejudicadas foram de interação binaural e separação e integração binaural concomitantemente. Não houve associação significante entre as tarefas da avaliação simplificada e os testes da bateria comportamental ao comparar o mesmo correlato neurofisiológico ou tarefa semelhante. Conclusão foi possível caracterizar o processamento auditivo dos escolares avaliados. A partir da comparação entre a avaliação simplificada e a bateria comportamental verificou-se que a avaliação simplificada pode ser um preditor sensível às alterações de processamento auditivo, apesar de não se identificar associação específica entre as habilidades comparadas.

Introduction For chewing to occur properly, it is necessary that all oral structures are present and of normal standard. Objectives The aim of this study is to verify the presence of oral changes in smokers and the impact of the changes on masticatory function compared with individuals who never smoked. Methods Forty-eight subjects were evaluated, split into two study groups (24 subjects each) of current tobacco users and individuals who have never smoked. The variables halitosis, presence of lesions suggestive of caries and periodontal problems, number of teeth, classification of malocclusions according to angle, standard grinding food, chewing pattern, and speed of chewing were evaluated. Results There was no statistically significant difference in tooth loss between the groups, but the smokers had more losses manifesting malocclusion. Most smokers had halitosis and lesions suggestive of caries and periodontal problems; the halitosis was associated with the latter variable. Masticatory speed was also reduced significantly in these individuals compared with the control group when associated with occlusal alterations, in addition to grinding food with the tongue. No difference was observed regarding the chewing pattern. The presence of halitosis and periodontal problems were more common in those who smoke more than 20 years. Conclusion There is an association between smoking and dental changes, which cause increased masticatory changes.