Background: At the beginning of the 21st century, international adoptions of children with cleft lip and/or palate increased dramatically in Sweden. Many children arrived partially or totally unoperated, despite being at an age when palatoplasty has usually been performed. To date, the speech development of internationally adopted (IA) children…

Background: In the last decade, a large number of children with cleft lip and palate have been adopted to Sweden. A majority of the children were born in China and they usually arrive in Sweden with an unoperated palate. There is currently a lack of knowledge regarding speech and articulation development in this group of children, who also have to…

Findings of this study with prelingually deaf people (n=59) in Sweden suggested there is some loneliness in the deaf community; there are characteriological, interactional, and situational origins of loneliness in the deaf community; and there is a high awareness about both the existence of loneliness and explanations for it. (DB)

The report describes three preschool Swedish children with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones) and the psychosocial support families require from society. Introductory sections explain the condition, review international research on brittle bones, consider the life situation of children with brittle bones, and examine societal support for…

Birth weight above and below 2,500 grams was compared with intellectual performance and school achievement at ages 10 and 13 for 874 students in a Swedish community. Results indicated that low birth weight girls, but not low birth weight boys, suffered in their school performance. (Author/JDD)

This case study describes a 25-year-old Swedish woman with hereditary moderate hearing loss since birth who acquired both sign language and spoken language in her early preschool years and reached normal developmental milestones in each. Analysis revealed that her speech reading expertise is associated with cognitive functions such as high…

Information is presented for caregivers of Swedish children with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones) and their families. Approximately five children with brittle bones are born in Sweden annually. Two main types of brittle bone disease have been identified: congenita and tarda. Typical symptoms include numerous and unexpected fractures, bluish…

The study examined aspects of daily living of Swedish children with osteogenesis imperfecta, a mineral deficiency in the skeleton which results in stunted growth and frequent fractures. A questionnaire was administered to 24 families with children under the age of 18 and 3 families were interviewed. The study found the families in great need of…

This report summarizes two studies which documented the development of prelingually deaf children (N=4, N=40) in Sweden exposed to sign communication during preschool years. The first study involved analysis of video recordings, forming a qualitative description of social strategies used by four children with different social positions in the peer…

Sixty-five children born to Swedish women who used amphetamines during pregnancy were followed to the age of eight years. Statistical correlations were seen between the extent of amphetamine exposure and psychometric tests, aggressive behavior, adjustment, and general assessment. Alcohol use during pregnancy and attitude toward pregnancy also…

Visualized braille was presented on closed circuit television (CCTV) to six blind tactile braille reading subjects (ages 12-50). Results supported cross-modal transfer of learning from tactile to visual modality. After intensive visual training, these subjects could discriminate visual forms and read ordinary print using the CCTV. (Author/BS)

This study evaluated the communicative, social, and emotional development of 22 deaf Swedish pre-school children with cochlear implants over a 2-year period. Video-recordings (every 3 months) and observations of the children in natural interactional settings at home and school as well as interviews with parents and teachers provided the study…

This study examined whether the level of academic achievement changed when deaf pupils in Sweden were introduced to sign communication at the preschool or kindergarten level. The study compared performance of 40 deaf students, attending a school for the deaf, on a comprehensive testing program (covering Swedish language and mathematical and…