ACQ Vol 12 No 3 2010

The text examines the physical structures used in speech production and swallowing by breaking the overall system into the following subsystems: breathing, laryngeal function, velopharyngeal- nasal function and pharyngeal-oral function. The chapters present information on each subsystem including: anatomy, movement, neural control, function in

whereby the person with aphasia selects the picture that is most representative of their response to the question. The available pictorial scales differ in gender, age and race to enhance the cultural sensitivity of the tool. Ratings are translated into numerical scores that are totalled and converted to percentages for the purpose of comparison across the sections. Analysis of the results allows for informed conversation and the collaborative identification of the priority areas for intervention focus and goal development. For the purposes of this review, the CPD was trialled with people attending an outpatient aphasia rehabilitation clinic. Clinicians found the test to be easily administered and the pictorial rating scale to be an effective means of quantifying responses. The complete administration is lengthy and full administration was not always considered appropriate. This is acknowledged by the authors who advocate the use of sensitivity and clinical judgment in the timing and/ or modification of the administration. It is imperative that the administrator is sensitive to the person’s stage of acceptance or adjustment to aphasia. The CPD is best administered when a person has reached a chronic stage of recovery, when there is a comfortable relationship between the person with aphasia and the administrator, and when the administrator has established an understanding of the person’s cognitive abilities, social support and emotional strength. The CPD is powerful and potentially confronting tool, capable of eliciting strong emotional responses. When used by an experienced clinician, it has the capacity to evoke valuable material to form the basis of meaningful intervention for communication strategies and environmental change. This assessment tool is recommended for use with people wishing to mitigate the limitations and disabilities arising from chronic aphasia. Hixon, T., Weismer, G., & Hoit, J.D. (2008). Preclinical speech science: Anatomy, physiology, acoustics, perception . San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing. ISBN: 978 1 59756 182 2; pp. 642; US$149.95; http://www. pluralpublishing.com Natalie Ciccone In the authors’ words this text addresses preclinical speech science which “encompasses speech production, speech acoustics, speech perception, and swallowing” (Hixon, Weismer, & Hoit, 2008, p. 1). The authors have written the text for students and clinicians.

relation to speech production and swallowing, development of the subsystem, impact of ageing, the impact of gender differences, methods of assessment, disorders of the subsystem and professionals involved in the management of the disorders. Additional chapters are also written on acoustics, acoustic theory and vowel and consonant production, speech acoustic analysis, provision of acoustic phonetic data and speech perception. Although the text is comprehensive, it is designed as a preclinical text and so students would need additional texts addressing the clinical management of the areas discussed. The information provided integrates the authors’ knowledge with relevant research as well as theories on how the various systems are thought to operate. They successfully present complex information in a way that could be understood by students but present it with a depth that means practising clinicians will find the book to be a useful reference text. This is a large text and the amount of information is initially daunting. However, the text includes a large number of quality illustrations. The authors worked with one illustrator who produced most of the illustrations. These do add to the text and provide views of anatomical structures and present information on how the various systems operate. Additionally the authors add interest and clinical application through the addition of ‘sidetracks’, boxes of text that present less formal information that is designed to support the main text. Just under half of the chapters also start and end with a clinical case that demonstrates the clinical relevance of the information being provided within the chapter. Overall the text is comprehensive and meets its objective of being a preclinical text which students and clinicians would find beneficial.

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ACQ Volume 12, Number 3 2010

ACQ uiring knowledge in speech, language and hearing