Speech Therapy Frequency for Pediatric Speech and Language Disorders

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Virginia Van Epps, M.Ed.

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Disqualifiers: Voice, feeding, fluency, cognition, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 8

Duration: up to 4 months

39 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare speech therapy outcomes in children ages 18 months to 16 years who participate in weekly speech therapy with home programming versus every-other week speech therapy with home programming in outpatient speech therapy. The main question it aims to answer is: Does a change in how often speech therapy sessions are delivered show an increased benefit in language and articulation standardized test scores? Participants will be randomly assigned to either (1) weekly or (2) every-other-week speech therapy for a total of 8 sessions. Researchers will compare these two groups to see if there are differences in speech outcomes.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications. It seems focused on speech therapy frequency, so it's unlikely that medication changes are required.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Speech Therapy for Pediatric Speech and Language Disorders?

Research shows that children receiving speech therapy in schools improved their speech sound accuracy, with gains linked to the number of therapy sessions. Parents and therapists were generally satisfied with the outcomes, and children with mild speech sound disorders benefited from frequent, short individual sessions. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is speech therapy safe for children with speech and language disorders?

Speech therapy is generally considered safe for children with speech and language disorders. The research does not report any safety concerns, and it is widely used to help improve communication skills in children. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

How does the treatment 'Speech Therapy' differ from other treatments for pediatric speech and language disorders?

Speech Therapy for pediatric speech and language disorders is unique because it focuses on the frequency and intensity of sessions, with recent research suggesting that spaced, low-frequency but highly productive sessions can be more beneficial than more frequent sessions. This approach contrasts with traditional methods that often emphasize more frequent sessions, highlighting the importance of tailoring therapy to individual needs and optimizing the 'dose' of therapy for better outcomes. ^{1 6 7 10 11}

Research Team

Jodi Urzua, MS

Principal Investigator

Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Virginia Van Epps, M.Ed.

Principal Investigator

Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Mary Dortenzio, MS

Principal Investigator

Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Emma Mendillo, MA

Principal Investigator

Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Morgan Daur-Schierholz, MS

Principal Investigator

Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for children aged 18 months to 16 years who need speech therapy and have completed one plan of care. They must attend at least 80% of their sessions, be recommended for individual treatment, and have a diagnosis related to language or articulation disorders. It's not for those unable to complete certain standardized tests or seeking therapy for voice, feeding, fluency, cognition issues.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with a communication disorder.

I am recommended for one-on-one treatment, not in a group.

I have completed an 8-session treatment plan.

Exclusion Criteria

I am not willing to complete all 8 sessions required.

I am seeking speech therapy for issues with my voice, eating, speaking smoothly, or thinking.

Patient unable to complete standardized tests (EOWPVT-4, ROWPVT-4, GFTA-3, REEL-4)

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either weekly or every-other-week speech therapy with home programming for a total of 8 sessions

up to 4 months

8 sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in vocabulary and articulation skills after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Speech Therapy

Trial Overview The study compares the effectiveness of weekly versus every-other-week speech therapy sessions with home programming over eight sessions in outpatient settings. The focus is on whether session frequency affects language and articulation test scores in pediatric patients.

Participant Groups

Group I: Weekly therapy with home programming Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Receipt of speech therapy care (every week) for 8.0 sessions

Group II: Every-other-week therapy with home programming Active Control 1 Intervention

Receipt of standard speech therapy care (every-other-week) for 8.0 sessions

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

76

Recruited

30,000+

Findings from Research

A quality improvement project increased the intensity of speech and language therapy for children with severe speech sound disorder (SSD) from an average of 30 target sounds to over 70 per session, aligning with research recommendations.

Despite challenges in increasing the frequency of therapy sessions to twice a week, improvements were observed in children's speech outcomes and parent ratings of intelligibility, demonstrating the effectiveness of a more intensive intervention model.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Applying evidence to practice by increasing intensity of intervention for children with severe speech sound disorder: a quality improvement project. McFaul, H., Mulgrew, L., Smyth, J., et al.[2023]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Contributions to Gain in Speech Sound Production Accuracy for Children With Speech Sound Disorders: Exploring Child and Therapy Factors. [2021]

2. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Emotional satisfaction of parents and speech-language therapists with outcome of training intervention in children with speech and language disorders. [2015]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Comparison of Intervention Intensity and Service Delivery Models With School-Age Children With Speech Sound Disorders in a School Setting. [2021]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment intensity in everyday clinical management of speech sound disorders in Hong Kong. [2018]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical implications of dynamic systems theory for phonological development. [2016]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Conceptualising "dose" in paediatric language interventions: Current findings and future directions. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Applying evidence to practice by increasing intensity of intervention for children with severe speech sound disorder: a quality improvement project. [2023]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How Young Children Learn Language and Speech. [2020]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Speech-Language Hearing Interventions in the Schools: A Public Health Perspective on Measuring Their Short-Term and Long-Term Impact. [2019]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Service Delivery Schedule Effects on Speech Sound Production Outcomes. [2021]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patterns of referral for children with speech disorders. [2019]