Jeannie van der Linde

• PhD
• Professor (Full) at University of Pretoria

Purpose: The study aimed to explore speech-language pathologists' practices regarding image selection and use in the treatment of people living with aphasia. Images are widely utilised with people living with aphasia, however, supporting their communication optimally remains challenging. Method: Ninety-two speech-language pathologists from South...

The study aimed to describe the outcomes of the voice use reduction (VUR) program on voice quality and vocal fatigue (VF) in occupational voice users (OVUs). A within-subject, quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test research design was performed on 30 OVUs. Perceptual and acoustic outcome measures were employed pre-and post-implementation of the VU...

Background: Outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, exacerbate barriers to accessing early childhood developmental care. Tele-assessment may serve as an innovative approach to developmental monitoring to overcome service delivery amidst challenging circumstances. It is vital to collect caregivers’ perspectives of this potential service de...

Preachers are professional voice users (PVUs) who regularly experience high vocal demands, often leading to vocal difficulties or disorders. Research has established that this often occurs due to a lack of sufficient knowledge of the vocal mechanism and vocal hygiene in this population. Student preachers are therefore also considered to be a potent...

Background: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) receive extensive education and training on voice and voice disorders. Therefore, they are integral in rendering transgender voice and communication training (TVCT), as part of their scope of practice. Research has, however, identified a lack of confidence in SLPs to render this service due to a perce...

Background In South Africa, the sharp rise in people with severe illness because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in early 2020, meant that health systems needed to adapt services and operations, including rehabilitation services. Important insights into the lived experiences of rehabilitation personnel enacting these adaptations in an Africa...

Background. Regular developmental surveillance using structured developmental screening tools is a proven way to effectively identify developmental delays and disabilities. Most screening tools are developed and standardised in high-income countries and then adapted and translated for low-and middle-income countries. However, cultural differences a...

The purpose of the study was to describe the evolution of outcomes among full-term infants with moderate hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE); from their early swallowing and feeding abilities during hospitalization, to their later developmental outcomes at 6 and 12 months. Four participants with moderate HIE were recruited. Early feeding and swal...

Introduction: Bilinguals constitute a significant portion of speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) caseloads. Insight into the cross-linguistic effect on voice is needed to guide SLPs to make linguistically-appropriate observations when working with heterogenous populations. Method: Nineteen female English-Northern Sotho bilinguals performed thre...

Currently, no culturally and linguistically adapted autism screening tools are available in South Africa. The aim was to determine the reliability and concurrent validity of the adapted English and Northern Sotho–translated Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers–Revised with Follow-up (M-CHAT-R/F). Reliability was confirmed with near-perfect agr...

Adequate early childhood development is critical for later-life success. Developmental profiles of specific populations are required to support implementation of early intervention services. Three hundred fifty-three caregivers of children with mean age 17.9 months (SD = 10.5) were selected from a primary healthcare clinic. Overall positive identif...

Code-switching is a complex skill that refers to the use of two or more languages by a speaker during one utterance or conversation (Gort, 2012:46; Van Dulm, 2007:1; Myers-Scotton,2009:239). In South Africa, with its 11 official languages, children are exposed to more than one language, and subsequently, code-switching is ubiquitous (Van Dulm, 2007...

Purpose Language sample analysis is widely regarded as the gold standard of language assessment. However, the uncertainty regarding the optimal length of sample and the limited availability of developmental language data for nonmainstream languages such as Afrikaans complicate reliable use of the method. The study aimed to provide guidelines on rep...

Objectives: The study aimed to describe daily vocal demands, perceptions and knowledge as reported by occupational voice users. Study design: A descriptive, cross-sectional research design was employed. Methods: A survey on vocal demands, perceptions and knowledge was distributed to 102 occupational voice users via a snowball sampling techniqu...

Background: Studies related to tube feeding in people with dementia (PWD) remain a contested topic, neglecting the importance of speech-language therapists’ (SLTs) role in dysphagia management. Furthermore, SLT practices and beliefs regarding tube feeding in people with advanced dementia in an upper-middle-income country, such as South Africa, are...

Purpose: To describe the evolution of swallowing and feeding abilities of neonates with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) during hospitalisation. Method: A longitudinal cohort study was used. Twenty-nine participants (median age 39.0 weeks [IQR = 2.0 weeks]) with mild (n = 7), moderate (n = 19) and severe (n = 3) HIE were included. Clinical...

Purpose This study aimed to critically appraise recent peer-reviewed scientific evidence on the effect of vocal hygiene education on voice quality and function directly and indirectly measured by auditory-perceptual, acoustic, and self-report measures in professional voice users. Method A systematic review was conducted utilizing the Preferred Rep...

Introduction Culturally relevant developmental screening is one of the best ways to appropriately identify developmental delays and disabilities in children as early as possible across diverse cultural backgrounds. This study aimed to adapt the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) tools for a low‐income community in South Africa by us...

(1) Hearing health training and promotion is a priority for early childhood development (ECD) practitioners, but training opportunities are limited, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). mHealth (mobile health) has the potential to deliver scalable ear and hearing training to ECD practitioners. (2) This study investigated the effec...

Background: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is prevalent and can lead to voice disorders, but its diagnosis is difficult, because of limited correlations between clinical symptoms and organic pathology. Various tools and methods have been explored to aid a diagnosis of LPR. Objective: To investigate associations between reflux symptoms, acoustic-,...

Background. Clear risk profiles of neonates with mild and moderate hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) are lacking.Objective. To describe and compare factors associated with mild and moderate HIE in South African neonates.Methods. A prospective, comparative design was used to describe factors among South African neonates with mild (n=13) and mod...

Background: Language sample analysis (LSA) is invaluable to describe and understand child language use and development for clinical purposes and research. Digital tools supporting LSA are available, but many of the LSA steps have not been automated. Nevertheless, programs that include automatic speech recognition (ASR), the first step of LSA, have...

The Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS), PEDS: Developmental Milestones (PEDS: DM) and PEDS tools (i.e., the PEDS and PEDS:DM combined for use) are parent-reported screening tools frequently used to identify young children requiring early intervention. An ideal screening tool for all contexts would be brief, inexpensive with appropri...

Background: The use of mobile health (mHealth) technology is rapidly expanding in healthcare worldwide. mHealth tools may provide parents with access to resources essential for promoting language development. Aim: The current study aimed to determine how an mHealth parental resource influenced 42preschool children’s (4.0–5.11 months old) language...

Background: In recent reviews of autism spectrum disorder screening tools, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/FTM) has been recommended for use in lower middle-income countries to promote earlier identification. Aim: The study aim was to culturally adapt and translate the M-CHAT-R/FTM into Northern Soth...

Background: In recent reviews of autism spectrum disorder screening tools, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F TM ) has been recommended for use in lower middle-income countries to promote earlier identification. Aim: The study aim was to culturally adapt and translate the M-CHAT-R/F TM into Northern So...

Timely assessment and intervention for developmental delays is a high priority in child healthcare, yet obtaining access to early developmental care services remains a challenge in low-and middle-income countries, such as South Africa, which has a shortage of healthcare professionals. The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 exacerbated these barriers, and...

Early childhood development research typically focusses on populations that are either of upper or lower socioeconomic status. A population especially overlooked is the ‘missing-middle’, represented by middle-income, urban populations. Knowledge of children’s development from middle-income populations to guide the implementation and customisation o...

Screening of children's developmental milestones is imperative for early identification of developmental delays and early intervention. Translated developmental screening tools increase accessibility and in turn enable timely identification and intervention, which allows children to reach their potential. This quantitative study evaluated the trans...

Background: There is a shortage of validated autism screening tests in the 11 official languages of South Africa. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/FTM), a validated and well-known screening test, had already been adapted (in English) and translated into Northern Sotho for use in South Africa. Objectiv...

Objective To identify and review published data on the risks associated with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Design A systematic review of literature was performed on electronic databases using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols. Literature on risks associated w...

Age-appropriate early childhood development is greatly influenced by exposure to various mediating and moderating factors. Developmental outcomes cannot be viewed in isolation, but by considering the interaction of the various risks and protective factors that influence early child development. A non-experimental, cross-sectional research design wa...

Objective To describe the developmental risks, and its influence, in young children from a low-income South African community. Method An exploratory, cross-sectional research study design was employed. Developmental screening was conducted during home visits with 126 caregivers and children between 0 and 42 months of age from a low-income South Af...

Music education has been demonstrated to positively influence the development of early literacy with the type of intervention identified as a moderating factor. However, research comparing the effects of different music education approaches on phonological awareness and early literacy is limited. This systematic review aimed to compare the effect o...

Early childhood development (ECD) practitioners from low-resource communities may find it challenging to provide developmentally appropriate services to support child development, due to the increased risk of developmental delays. Practitioners rely on their ECD knowledge when delivering ECD services, but many practitioners in South Africa are unde...

Introduction Globally, more than 50 million children have hearing or vision loss. Most of these sensory losses are identified late due to a lack of systematic screening, making treatment and rehabilitation less effective. Mobile health (mHealth), which is the use of smartphones or wireless devices in health care, can improve access to screening ser...

Emergent literacy abilities of young children are strong predictors of future academic success, however, biological and environmental risks can impact their progress. Parental interventions that promote home-based stimulation of preschoolers can enhance literacy development and ensure school readiness. mHealth technology may be a viable approach to...

Background: Effective HIV transmission prevention strategies have led to a growing population of vulnerable HIV- and antiretroviral-exposed infants in sub-Saharan Africa, however uncertainty exists regarding their development. Objective: To determine the developmental outcomes of HIV-exposed (HE) infants in a low-income South African context, wh...

Purpose Phonological awareness (PA) requires the complex integration of language, speech, and auditory processing abilities. Enhanced pitch and rhythm discrimination have been shown to improve PA and speech-in-noise (SiN) discrimination. The screening of pitch and rhythm discrimination, if nonlinguistic correlates of these abilities, could contribu...

Children are often only identified with a developmental delay when they enter primary school due to developmental delays hindering academic progress. Detection of at-risk children in low-income communities is typically unavailable due to several challenges. This study validated an mHealth-based developmental screening tool as a potential time-and c...

Introduction Inadequate caregiving conditions interfere with successful health and development outcomes. Access to appropriate information can result in improved health and development outcomes in children. Health promotion text messaging, a primary mHealth strategy, has been implemented in various countries to reach communities where the majority...

Background: Early identification of stroke-related oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD) using screening by nurses can prevent adverse patient outcomes in lower middle-income countries. Nurses are essential in the OPD management team and should ideally be able to screen and prioritise dysphagia management in stroke patients. Objective: The aim of this res...

Multiple studies and systematic reviews have shown that music instruction improves phonological awareness (PA) and early literacy skills in children, although findings vary. In meta-analyses, the reliability and significance of the transfer effect are reduced. The study evaluated the effect of varying durations of music instruction exposure, over a...

Background Prevalent environmental risk factors place infants in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) at an increased risk for feeding and developmental difficulties. Aim This study aimed to determine the relationship between feeding and developmental outcomes in infants, as early feeding difficulties may have a cascading effect on developmental...

Aim: To describe feeding characteristics (such as breast feeding and complementary feeding) and determine the nature of feeding difficulties of infants in a primary health-care clinic (PHC) in South Africa. Methods: A total of 200 infants aged 6-12 months (mean = 8.54, standard deviation = 2.18) received a feeding screening by a speech-language...

Children in impoverished settings face a multitude of risk factors that may impact early childhood development (ECD). Poor ECD can lead to negative outcomes and the continuation of the intergenerational cycle of poverty. Early stimulation from caregivers can counter the effects of risk factors. Increased developmental literacy supports positive par...

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the effect of superficial hydration, with or without systemic hydration, on voice quality in future female professional singers by assessing acoustic and perceptual parameters of voice production as well as symptoms of vocal fatigue. Study design: This is an experimental design study. Methods: A...

The benefits in speech-in-noise perception, language and cognition brought about by extensive musical training in adults and children have been demonstrated in a number of cross-sectional studies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether one year of school-delivered musical training, consisting of individual and group instrumental classes...

Purpose Working memory capacity and language ability modulate speech reception; however, the respective roles of peripheral and cognitive processing are unclear. The contribution of individual differences in these abilities to utilization of spatial cues when separating speech from informational and energetic masking backgrounds in children has not...

Limited research is available about the financial costs incurred by families of children with ASD in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). This article describes socio-demographic characteristics of and financial costs encountered by families whose children attend autism-specific government-funded schools in South Africa. Survey questionnaires w...

Background: Despite inclusive education (IE) policies and legislation being introduced in South Africa (SA), learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are still placed in autism-specific public and private schools. Limited data are available on who makes use of the two different types of schools. Results may provide information on the profiles a...

Late identification of children with ASD remains a concern. Due to limited research in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as South Africa (SA), the early management of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) should be further explored. The aim was to describe the demographic characteristics and early management of ASD that may influence identifica...

Late identification of children with ASD remains a concern. Due to limited research in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as South Africa (SA), the early management of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) should be further explored. The aim was to describe the demographic characteristics and early management of ASD that may influence identifica...

Detecting developmental delays is essential for early intervention in low to middle-income countries. A cross-sectional, within-subject, comparative design was employed to determine the performance of the Parents Evaluation of Developmental status (PEDS) tools smartphone application and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III (BSID...

Background: Prioritization of referrals following developmental screening is essential to ensure early intervention in resource-constrained settings. Objectives: To evaluate the referral criteria and response characteristics of the PEDS tools to determine its applicability in at-risk South African children. Methods: A retrospective analysis of...

Purpose: The aim was to determine if the presence of a voice disorder in speakers of Setswana, an African tone language, will negatively impact the accuracy of identification by typical first language judges of words belonging to tonal minimal pairs. Method: A quasi-experimental between-group comparison and individual case studies were conducted. F...

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the laryngeal anatomy, perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic vocal characteristics of school-aged children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The predisposition that children with ADHD have for laryngeal injuries are recurrent in nature and are more often than not ove...

Developmental delays are increasing worldwide, as a result of exposure to environmental risk factors. Early detection services are often inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). An mHealth developmental screening programme with community care workers (CCWs) was investigated. CCWs administered a smartphone application to vulnerable f...

This study reports on the development of a Setswana tonal minimal pair word list, which could be implemented as research tool in the field of Bantu language linguistics and in speech pathology in South Africa. The development of the list was conducted in four phases. These are described as four separate studies. All involved Setswana L1 participant...

Objectives: We aimed to critically appraise scientific, peer-reviewed articles, published in the past 10 years on the effects of hydration on voice quality in adults. Study design: This is a systematic review. Methods: Five databases were searched using the key words "vocal fold hydration", "voice quality", "vocal fold dehydration", and "hygie...

Background: One of the greatest challenges in early communication intervention in South Africa is developing and implementing successful identification strategies in primary health care (PHC). A shortage of trained PHC personnel is one of the barriers to providing adequate health services in South Africa. This dearth of services creates the need to...

Background Persons with stuttering (PWS) often present with other co-occurring conditions. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) proposes that it is important to understand the full burden of a health condition. A few studies have explored voice problems among PWS, and the cha...

Background: The importance of early identification for infants and young children with developmental delays is well established. Poor follow-up on referrals, however, undermines the effectiveness of early intervention programmes. Objectives: To identify factors, including text message reminders, that influence follow-up adherence for early interven...

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the incidence and nature of voice disorders, as reported by ear, nose, and throat specialists (ENTs), in the Gauteng private healthcare context. Study design: This is a cross-sectional survey design. Methods: The respondents had to be certified ENTs working in the private healthcare context in Gauteng....

In low- and middle-income countries, there is an increase in the prevalence of developmental delays. In a financially-restricted but linguistically diverse South African primary health care context, adapting assessment tools may be more appropriate than developing new ones. The current study aimed to compare outcomes of the English Parents’ Evaluat...

Research involving stuttering in multilingual individuals is limited. Speech-language therapists face the challenge of treating a diverse client base, which includes multilingual individuals. The aim of this study was to examine the stuttering moments across English, Afrikaans, and German in a multilingual speaker. A single multilingual adult with...

Background: Early cochlear implantation aids auditory feedback and supports better communication and self-monitoring of the voice. The objective of this study was to determine whether the age of cochlear implantation has an impact on vocal development in children implanted before age 4. Method and procedures: The study consisted of 19 participan...

Background: Developmental delays are more prevalent in low-income countries and access to developmental screening is severely limited. Introduction: This study evaluated an m-Health version of a standard developmental screening tool, Parents Evaluation Developmental Status (PEDS) and PEDS:Developmental Milestones (PEDS:DM) for use by community h...

Background. Many risk factors may result in a communication delay. Reliable identification methods are essential to identify infants at risk of communication difficulties in the primary healthcare context. Literature on identifying both at-risk and established risk factors associated with communication disorders in South Africa is limited. Objectiv...

Background. Communication delays are the most common impairment in early childhood and have a negative effect on long-term academic, psychological and social development. Baseline prevalence of communication delays or disorders enables adequate planning of service delivery and successful implementation of intervention strategies, to reduce disorder...

Background Prevalence of communication delays or disorders is increasing, possibly because of various environmental risk factors. Selection and implementation of effective screening tools are important to detect at-risk infants as early as possible. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS),...

Background Early cochlear implantation aids auditory feedback and supports better communication and self-monitoring of the voice. The objective of this study was to determine whether the age of cochlear implantation has an impact on vocal development in children implanted before age 4. Method and procedures The study consisted of 19 participants i...

Objectives: The application of systemic hydration as an instrument for optimal voice quality has been a common practice by several professional voice users over the years. Although the physiological action has been determined, the benefits on acoustic and perceptual characteristics are relatively unknown. The present study aimed to determine wheth...

Background. Many risk factors may result in a communication delay. Reliable identification methods are essential to identify infants at risk of communication difficulties in the primary healthcare context. Literature on identifying both at-risk and established risk factors associated with communication disorders in South Africa is limited. Objectiv...

Background Language and communication difficulties of young children with visual impairment (VI) are ascribed to intellectual disability, multiple disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rather than their sensory impairment. Consequently, the communication difficulties of children with VI may have been underestimated and undertreated. Obje...

Background: For optimal development young children need warm, responsive, enriched and communicative environments for learning social, language, and other skills. Infants and toddlers exposed to psychosocial risk lack enriched environments and may present with communication delays. Aim: To investigate the relationship between psychosocial risks...

Research on the various aspects of child language development in South Africa has generally been an area neglected by specialists in the study of language. In South Africa's multilingual urban settings, English is the language of mutual understanding in most classrooms. The assessment of language (including speech sound production) in English addit...

As a professional voice user, it is imperative that a speech-language pathologist's(SLP) vocal effectiveness remain consistent throughout the day. Many factors may contribute to reduced vocal effectiveness, including prolonged voice use, vocally abusive behaviours,poor vocal hygiene and environmental factors. To determine the effect of service deli...

Background: Worldwide, more than 200 million children in low- and middle-income countries have developmental delays and/or disabilities. In South Africa the only nationally implemented developmental ‘screening’ tool is integrated as part of ‘The Road to Health Booklet (RTHB). Method: The study employed a comparative cross- sectional within-subject...

Background: Language and communication difficulties of young children with visual impairment (VI) are ascribed to intellectual disability, multiple disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rather than their sensory impairment. Consequently, the communication difficulties of children with VI may have been underestimated and undertreated. Ob...

Background: For optimal development young children need warm, responsive, enriched and communicative environments for learning social, language, and other skills. Infants and toddlers exposed to psychosocial risk lack enriched environments and may present with communication delays. Aim: To investigate the relationship between psychosocial risks...

Neurogenic stuttering (NS) is the most frequently occurring acquired form of stuttering in children and adults. This form of stuttering is primarily caused by neurological incidents. Owing to controversies with regard to similarities between developmental stuttering (DS) and NS symptomatology, differential diagnosis is problematic. Differential dia...

Background: Early communication intervention services rendered by speech-language therapists and audiologists to families of infants and young children with feeding difficulties, hearing loss or emerging communication disorders should be implemented throughout South Africa. Early intervention can ameliorate risks, enhance development and may preven...

Based on clinical observations, case finding for early communication intervention service delivery in rural areas, such as Ditsobotla sub-district, is limited. The study described the identification process used for infants and young children at risk for communication delay and disorders as part of a proposed incremental implementation of early com...