Using ultrasound tongue imaging to analyse maximum performance tasks in children with Autism: a pilot study

Abstract

This study proposes a protocol for assessing speech motor control in children using maximum performance tasks with simultaneous acoustic and ultrasound recording. The protocol was piloted on eight children with autism spectrum disorders and nine typically developing children. Diadochokinesis rate, accuracy, and consistency were elicited using an imitation paradigm where speakers repeat mono-, bi-, and trisyllabic stimuli at increasing rates. Both traditional measures of rate, accuracy and consistency and an ultrasound tongue-shape analysis of slow versus fast productions were undertaken. Preliminary results suggest that the protocol is feasible with children with communication disorders. Instrumental measures suggest greater variability in tongue movements in the children with autism that is not detected using perceptual measures of accuracy. A subgroup of children with autism showed some evidence of differences in speech motor control. Ultrasound tongue imaging appears to be a useful method for gaining additional insight into speech motor control.

Oromotor skills in autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review

“…Twenty‐four studies (67% of instrumental studies) used acoustic analyses, five studies (14%) used facial motion tracking (Gladfelter & Goffman, 2018; Kothare et al, 2021; Manfredonia et al, 2019; Parish‐Morris et al, 2018; Samad et al, 2019), two studies (5%) used electromyography to measure muscle activation (Cattaneo et al, 2007; Pascolo & Cattarinussi, 2012), and two studies (5%) used magnetic resonance imaging of the brain (Chenausky, Kernbach, et al, 2017; Heller Murray et al, 2022). Each of the following methods was used in only one study: nasometry (Kasthurirathne et al, 2020), magnetoencephalography (Pang et al, 2016), and ultrasound tongue imaging (McKeever et al, 2022).…”

Newfound features associated with Hennekam Syndrome (Intestinal Lymphangiectasia-Lymphedema-Intellectual-Disability Syndrome) complicated with comorbid Waldmann’s disease resulting in celiac disease

“…The monosyllabic speech and alveolar clicks comprised most of our patient's responses; both have been associated with previously reported HS patients. 43,44,45 The clicks are part of an array of reflexes babies initially do before complete tongue muscle functionality develops. 43 They have been reported with developmental delay.…”

“…6 HS has been associated with absent neck holding and webbed neck. 1,23,24,44,45 Our patient sat sideways in a wheelchair, his face turned downwards and to the left, looking at his mother throughout his clinical encounter. Our patient's asymmetrical cervical muscle tone could be due to the absence of neck holding reported in HS.…”

“…Diagnosing HS is critical for many reasons, and genetic testing may not be available or accurate, since the gene mutations causing HS only account for 20-25% of HS cases and are still being uncovered. 2,45 Relying solely on imaging or labs for diagnosing patients with HS is not adequate.…”

Tongue Contour Tracking and Segmentation in Lingual Ultrasound for Speech Recognition: A Review

“…Researchers and clinical linguists have widely adopted the use of lingual ultrasound for different applications. Some of these applications include using it as a visual feedback for second language teaching [ 65 , 66 ], speech remediation to correct articulation for people with speech disabilities [ 67 ], speech-related disorders such as autism [ 4 , 68 , 69 ], articulation research and analysis [ 10 , 65 , 70 ], swallowing studies [ 71 ], tongue 3D modelling [ 72 ], and silent speech interface [ 7 , 73 , 74 , 75 ]. Furthermore, ultrasound imaging analysis is used in many applications in medical imaging analysis for object detection and segmentation.…”