A Comprehensive Review of Methods for Treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech

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2014
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Linguistics
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Thesis (B.A.)
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Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
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Abstract
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), also known as developmental apraxia of speech or developmental verbal dyspraxia, is a developmental disorder that affects a child's ability to vocalize their thoughts. Sounds, syllables, or words can be very difficult to say because there is a miscommunication in the brain that affects the coordination of the anatomical structures of speech production (jaw, tongue, etc.) (Childhood Apraxia of Speech a). This is a highly variable disorder in the sense that it presents differently in every child; therefore a treatment that works for one child may not work for another. Many treatments involve multisensory inputs, but it is not clear whether these inputs alone make the greatest difference in a successful therapy, or whether other factors such as the duration of therapy or number of repetitions of a sound are as or more important. Published research on the efficacy of the different treatments is scant, and the majority of articles are case studies. Very few studies include more than four children. Such small study samples weaken generalized conclusions about the treatments. This paper will review the studies of the various treatments and will show that the therapies with both multisensory inputs and repetition provide the most effective treatment. One possibility for treatment that I will explore more in depth is board games. Presently, many computer games are available to children with CAS, but since these games do not have a community of online players, this eliminates a beneficial social aspect of therapy. Board games create the opportunity for a social atmosphere as well as a fun one. The more enjoyable atmosphere that comes hand-in-hand with games helps the child feel more at ease during the therapy session, which in turn can improve the child's learning ability and endurance during treatment (De Bruijn 20 II). This paper will look at what makes educational games effective and fun, and how games have been used in other areas of therapy. I will present a theory for a game that incorporates multisensory inputs and repetition, but which also uses the entertaining elements of games to present the therapy in a less clinical and friendlier light.
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