The impact of deictic gesture on vowel acoustics in childhood apraxia of speech

2017 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
pp. 3840-3840
Author(s):  
Kathryn Connaghan ◽  
Heather Rusiewicz
CommonHealth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-56
Author(s):  
Kyra Skoog ◽  
Edwin Maas

Background: Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a pediatric speech disorder that significantly affects communication and life participation. Most CAS treatment research uses speech accuracy as primary outcome measure, on the assumption that accuracy predicts communicative success. However, this relationship has not yet been examined in this population, limiting our understanding of the impact of available treatments. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between speech accuracy and intelligibility in children with CAS. Intelligibility is defined here as the proportion of words correctly understood by an unfamiliar listener. Methods: Adult listeners, who were unfamiliar with children with CAS, listened to recordings of children with CAS producing single words, and typed what they heard the child say. Separately, and prior to the listening experiment, the children’s words were scored for accuracy using various measures, including the percent phonemes (sounds) correct (PPC), percent consonants correct (PCC), and percent vowels correct (PVC). The relationship between these accuracy measures and intelligibility were examined descriptively. Results: Preliminary findings suggest that there is a positive relationship between intelligibility and PPC and PCC in children with CAS. Conclusions: Implications of these findings for clinical practice as well as future treatment research are discussed.


Author(s):  
Julie Case ◽  
Maria I. Grigos

Purpose Variability has been interpreted in differing ways according to context (e.g., development, speech impairment, and learning). A challenge arises when interpreting variability in the context of learning for children with speech impairment characterized by high movement variability, as in childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). The objective of this study is to investigate changes in variability in CAS with practice in comparison to patterns seen in children with non-CAS speech sound disorders (SSD) and typical development. Method Speech production variability was examined in 24 children (5–6 years of age) with CAS, non—CAS SSD, and typical development in production of nonwords of varied motoric complexity. Multidimensional analyses were performed using measures of token-to-token speech consistency (percent word consistency), acoustic variability (acoustic spatiotemporal index), and movement variability (lip aperture spatiotemporal index). Changes in variability were examined in each group of children by comparing the first half to the last half of nonword tokens in the same data collection session. The impact of token complexity on practice effects was also explored across groups of children. Results All children displayed increased speech consistency within this practice period ( p = .01). Only children with CAS displayed increased movement variability following practice ( p = .01). Differences in acoustic and kinematic variability were observed across complexity levels in all groups, though these did not interact with practice effects. Discussion These findings suggest that increased movement variability in children with CAS might be facilitating perceptual consistency. It is believed that this finding reflects an inefficient strategy adapted by children with CAS in the absence of motor-based cueing and feedback to guide speech performance with practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (9) ◽  
pp. 3160-3182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin Maas ◽  
Christina Gildersleeve-Neumann ◽  
Kathy Jakielski ◽  
Nicolette Kovacs ◽  
Ruth Stoeckel ◽  
...  

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine 2 aspects of treatment intensity in treatment for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS): practice amount and practice distribution. Method Using an alternating-treatments single-subject design with multiple baselines, we compared high versus low amount of practice, and massed versus distributed practice, in 6 children with CAS. Conditions were manipulated in the context of integral stimulation treatment. Changes in perceptual accuracy, scored by blinded analysts, were quantified with effect sizes. Results Four children showed an advantage for high amount of practice, 1 showed an opposite effect, and 1 showed no condition difference. For distribution, 4 children showed a clear advantage for massed over distributed practice post treatment; 1 showed an opposite pattern, and 1 showed no clear difference. Follow-up revealed a similar pattern. All children demonstrated treatment effects (larger gains for treated than untreated items). Conclusions High practice amount and massed practice were associated with more robust speech motor learning in most children with CAS, compared to low amount and distributed practice, respectively. Variation in effects across children warrants further research to determine factors that predict optimal treatment conditions. Finally, this study adds to the evidence base supporting the efficacy of integral stimulation treatment for CAS. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.9630599


Author(s):  
Julie L. Wambaugh ◽  
Lydia Kallhoff ◽  
Christina Nessler

Purpose This study was designed to examine the association of dosage and effects of Sound Production Treatment (SPT) for acquired apraxia of speech. Method Treatment logs and probe data from 20 speakers with apraxia of speech and aphasia were submitted to a retrospective analysis. The number of treatment sessions and teaching episodes was examined relative to (a) change in articulation accuracy above baseline performance, (b) mastery of production, and (c) maintenance. The impact of practice schedule (SPT-Blocked vs. SPT-Random) was also examined. Results The average number of treatment sessions conducted prior to change was 5.4 for SPT-Blocked and 3.9 for SPT-Random. The mean number of teaching episodes preceding change was 334 for SPT-Blocked and 179 for SPT-Random. Mastery occurred within an average of 13.7 sessions (1,252 teaching episodes) and 12.4 sessions (1,082 teaching episodes) for SPT-Blocked and SPT-Random, respectively. Comparisons of dosage metric values across practice schedules did not reveal substantial differences. Significant negative correlations were found between follow-up probe performance and the dosage metrics. Conclusions Only a few treatment sessions were needed to achieve initial positive changes in articulation, with mastery occurring within 12–14 sessions for the majority of participants. Earlier occurrence of change or mastery was associated with better follow-up performance. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12592190


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 843-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Tarshis ◽  
Michelle Garcia Winner ◽  
Pamela Crooke

Purpose What does it mean to be social? In addition, how is that different from behaving socially appropriately? The purpose of this clinical focus article is to tackle these two questions along with taking a deeper look into how communication challenges in childhood apraxia of speech impact social competencies for young children. Through the lens of early social development and social competency, this clinical focus article will explore how speech motor challenges can impact social development and what happens when young learners miss early opportunities to grow socially. While not the primary focus, the clinical focus article will touch upon lingering issues for individuals diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech as they enter the school-aged years. Conclusion Finally, it will address some foundational aspects of intervention and offer ideas and suggestions for structuring therapy to address both speech and social goals.


Author(s):  
Heike Nolte ◽  
Regan Solomons ◽  
Priscilla Springer ◽  
Martin Kidd ◽  
Eileen Africa

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