Introduction/Objective The development of speech is the result of interaction of different systems of the cortex, which gradually acquires the ability of phonological presentation and motor control, in the presence of a series of physical and physiological changes in the morphology of the articulation system. The objective of the study was to examine the impact of laterality and cortical responses on the development of speech in children. Methods Research is a quasi-experimental design with two groups. The sample covered 60 children from Belgrade, of both sexes, ages 5.5-7 years, divided into two groups, experimental (30) and control (30). We used the following instruments: test for assessing laterality and ascertaining evoked potentials. Results On the visual lateralization subtest there was a statistically significant difference (χ² = 7.56, p < 0.05) between the observed groups. The visual evoked potentials on all measured parameters gave a statistically significant difference between the groups: waveform cortical responses-left (χ² = 30.00, df = 1, p < 0.05); cortical responses-right (χ² = 6.667, df = 1 , p < 0.05); waveform amplitude-left (χ² = 13.469, df = 1, p < 0.05); amplitude-right (χ² = 40.00, df = 1, p < 0.05), somatosensory potentials (χ² = 18.261, df = 1, p <0.05); waveform amplitude (χ² = 12.000, df = 1, p < 0.05); waveform latency (χ² = 5.455, df = 1, p < 0.05). Conclusion Visual laterality, as well as visual and somatosensory cortical responses to stimuli is better in children without the present articulation disorder, which could be used for timely prevention planning.

The aim of this research was to establish the level of abilities that is a prerequisite for acquiring academic knowledge of children who stutter. The sample consisted of 102 subjects, of whom 42 children were experimental, and 60 children constituted a control group. We used following instruments: Riley test - a test for stuttering estimation, for quantitative speech analysis and ACADIA - a capacity assessment test that is a prerequisite for the acquisition of academic knowledge. The obtained results showed that there are differences in perceptual, visuo-motor, non-verbal and speech-language abilities of children stuttering in relation to children who do not stutter. There is a significant connection between the stuttering and the success of the Serbian language and the stutter and education of the parents. These differences should be used as the starting point in a therapeutic program for working with children who stutter

Background/Aim. Speech disfluency (stuttering) is a multifactor disorder and its aetiology is a big unknown for the experts from various fields. Hemisphere dominance as the highest level in the process of integration of cortical functions is of special significance for the entire development. Praxis and gnosis related cortical organizers are the first to form; they become differentiated and functionally full in early childhood while the process of condensing is completed somewhere around the age of 7. Cortical activity organizers are definitely set at that age and from then on act from one hemisphere which becomes dominant for that function. Laterality is determined by hemisphere dominance, but it occurs as a special phenomenon and it is of great significance for personality. The aim of this research was to examine the influence and the relationship between hemisphere asymmetry on the occurrence of speech disfluency in children. Methods. Sixty children aged 5 to 7 years participated in this research. Thirty children suffer from speech fluency disorder (person who stutters ? PWS) and they belong to the experimental group while thirty children are fluent speakers (person who does not stutter ? PWNS) and they were the control group. Individual testing was used as a test method. Laterality assessment test was used as an instrument which consists of 5 sub-tests as follows: the assessment of hand-use laterality, the assessment of gestural handuse laterality, the assessment of foot laterality, the assessment of auditory laterality and the assessment of visual laterality. Results. Gestural hand-use laterality and auditory laterality in the PWS examinees were considerably worse in comparison to the PWNS examinees (?2 = 11.80, p = 0.002, and ?2 = 10.90, p = 0.003, respectively). Male examinees had worse scores in comparison with female examinees. Conclusion. There are certain changes in establishing a dominant hemisphere and differentiation of laterality in children who stutter in comparison with the children who are fluent speakers, which has been shown by statistically significant difference in accomplishments at the test of gestural hand-use laterality and the test of auditory laterality.

Introduction/Aim Psychophysiological disorders and speech pathology is one of the priority public health problems in the Republic of Serbia. Child?s growth and development proceed in a particular sequence and course, depending on individual physiological capacities, quality of neuromuscular structures and stimuli, which can be significantly affected by the environment. The development of speech from birth to the adult age is a result of the interaction of neurocognitive factors that contribute to a gradual attainment of phonological presentation and motor control abilities. The aim of the study was to examine the connection between manipulative manual dexterity, oral practice and lateralization with the development and speech in children and their potential for the development of prevention programs. Methods: The sample included 60 children from Belgrade of both sexes, aged between 5.5 and 7 years. Of these, 30 made up the experimental group - children with deviations in speech development (articulation disorders), and 30 the control group - typically developing children from the general population. The instruments used were the Manipulative Manual Dexterity Test (Lafayette), Oral Praxis Test, and part of the Test for assessing lateralisation (auditory, visual, and functional). Results The hand grip development level is statistically significantly different between the experimental and the control group (??=21.40, df=3, p<0.01). The presence of associated involuntary movements statistically significantly differs between the experimental and the control group examinees (??=10.58, df=1, p<0.01). Oral praxis statistically significantly differs between the experimental and the control group (t=2,01, p<0,05). Visual laterality statistically significantly differs (??=7.56, p<0.05) between the observed groups. When all predictors are taken into account, significant contribution to the explanation of the existence of speech pathology (articulation disorders) is given by the variables: Visual lateralization (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.179-0.832; p = 0.015) and the level of hand grip development (OR = 0.23; 95% CI = 0.082-0.699; p = 0.009). Conclusion: The hand grip development level and visual laterality are worse in children with speech (articulation) impairment and developmental deviations. It is these indicators of child development that should be used as a guide in designing the National programmes for developmental assessment and prevention in the child healthcare system.