Voice and Speech Outcomes Following Intensive Voice and Motor Speech Treatment Delivered Sequentially to Children with Motor Speech Disorders Secondary to Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the treatment outcomes in children with a mixed diagnoses of dysarthria and childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), secondary to Cerebral Palsy (CP) after the completion of LSVT®LOUD followed by a six-week motor speech treatment. Method: A single case research design was used to examine the speech outcomes in four children (12 to 16 years of age; 3 females) who completed LSVT LOUD, consisting of 16 hours of individual 1-hour treatment sessions within a 4-week time period. After a 12-week maintenance program, these same children underwent intensive motor speech treatment for an additional six-week period, consisting of 18 hours of therapy comprised of 30-minute individual sessions followed by 1-hour group sessions, twice per week. Perceptual, intelligibility, and speech acoustic variables were collected and assessed at four different time points: pre- and post-treatment for both therapy types. In addition, nasalance scores were collected at pre- and post- motor speech treatment. Results: Three of four participants displayed increased dB SPL at post-LSVT LOUD and 12-weeks follow-up compared to pre-treatment measures. A visual trend illustrated increased percent intelligibility post-LSVT LOUD for all four participants with significantly higher ratings at 12-weeks follow-up. Additional gains in dB SPL, intelligibility, diadokokinetic performance, and vowel space were observed following motor speech treatment. Conclusion: Results indicated positive therapeutic outcomes following both treatment approaches and provides some initial information on the use of sequential treatment approaches in children with motor speech disorders secondary to CP.