Speech Therapy for Speech Sound Disorder

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Idaho State University

Disqualifiers: Non-English speakers, Over 6 years, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 16 weeks

42 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Children with speech sound disorders (SSD) are thought to be unable to detect subtle differences between sounds, though there is little understanding of the underlying perceptual mechanisms implicated in SSD. The investigators suggest that children with SSD may have difficulty creating phonological representations due to inaccurate perception and representation of speech sounds, which then directly impacts speech production abilities. Children will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions in the present study: 1) Traditional speech treatment alone or 2) Traditional speech treatment in conjunction with speech perceptual training. By identifying an underlying mechanism of the disorder, the clinical approach to the treatment of SSD will be better informed and treatment approaches targeting all deficient areas can be utilized.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Speech Production + Speech Perception Treatment, Speech Production Treatment for Speech Sound Disorder?

Research on Sound Production Treatment (SPT) for acquired apraxia of speech (AOS) shows that different practice schedules can impact treatment outcomes, suggesting that structured practice may also benefit children with speech sound disorders. Additionally, evidence supports various treatment approaches for speech sound disorders in children, although specific data on treatment intensity is limited. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is speech therapy for speech sound disorders safe for humans?

The research articles reviewed do not provide specific safety data for speech therapy treatments like Sound Production Treatment (SPT) or other related therapies. However, speech therapy is generally considered safe as it involves non-invasive techniques focused on improving speech and language skills. ^{1 2 5 6 7}

How is the Speech Production + Speech Perception Treatment for Speech Sound Disorder different from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it combines speech production practice with speech perception and phonological awareness training, addressing both the ability to produce sounds and the ability to hear and understand them, which is not commonly targeted together in other treatments. ^{5 8 9 10 11}

Research Team

Alycia E Cummings, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Idaho State University - Meridian

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking children aged between 4 and 6 years with speech sound disorders (SSD), who have not received prior speech therapy, show typical development in other areas, and have normal hearing. They must be struggling with producing at least four English consonants correctly.

Inclusion Criteria

My speech organs are normal.

I speak only English.

Typical hearing abilities

Exclusion Criteria

Speaking a language other than (or in addition to) English

I am older than 6 years or younger than 4 years.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Children receive either traditional speech treatment alone or in conjunction with speech perceptual training

16 weeks

Weekly sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in phonological representations and auditory neural responses

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Speech Production + Speech Perception Treatment
• Speech Production Treatment

Trial Overview The study tests two treatments for SSD: traditional speech production treatment alone, or combined with speech perception training. The goal is to see if adding perception training helps kids distinguish sounds better and improve their speaking abilities.

Participant Groups

Group I: Speech Treatment & Perception Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Half of the children will be assigned to the traditional speech treatment program and speech perception training program combination. This treatment program will teach children not only how to produce sounds in academic vocabulary words, but to also identify correctly and incorrectly produced sounds in words.

Group II: Speech Treatment Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Half of the children will be assigned to the traditional speech treatment program which will focus on how to produce sounds in academic vocabulary words.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Idaho State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

10

Recruited

2,600+

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Trials

377

Recruited

190,000+

Findings from Research

In a study involving 4 speakers with chronic apraxia of speech and aphasia, all participants showed improved accuracy in speech production across different treatment intensities and schedules using sound production treatment (SPT).

No significant differences in treatment outcomes were found between the various SPT applications, suggesting that different intensities and practice schedules can be equally effective for improving speech accuracy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment for acquired apraxia of speech: examination of treatment intensity and practice schedule. Wambaugh, JL., Nessler, C., Cameron, R., et al.[2016]

Sound Production Treatment (SPT) was effective in improving the accuracy of speech sounds in 6 participants with acquired apraxia of speech (AOS) and aphasia, regardless of whether the treatment was presented in a blocked or random order.

The random presentation of treatment words (SPT-random) showed potential advantages in maintaining improvements for some participants, suggesting that different practice methods may influence treatment outcomes in AOS.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sound production treatment: effects of blocked and random practice. Wambaugh, JL., Nessler, C., Wright, S., et al.[2016]

References

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

Treatment for acquired apraxia of speech: examination of treatment intensity and practice schedule. [2016]

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

Sound production treatment: effects of blocked and random practice. [2016]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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

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

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

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

Facing a Clinical Challenge: Limited Empirical Support for Toddler Speech Sound Production Intervention Approaches. [2022]

6. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prevalence and Therapy Rates for Stuttering, Cluttering, and Developmental Disorders of Speech and Language: Evaluation of German Health Insurance Data. [2022]

7. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effectiveness of an Integrated Treatment for Functional Speech Sound Disorders-A Randomized Controlled Trial. [2021]

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

Relationships between acoustically determined knowledge of stop place and voicing contrasts and phonological treatment progress. [2022]

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

The effects of minimal pairs treatment on the speech-sound production of two children with phonologic disorders. [2019]

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

Implementing Speech Perception and Phonological Awareness Intervention for Children With Speech Sound Disorders. [2022]

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

Stimulability considerations in the phonological treatment of a child with a persistent disorder of speech-sound production. [2019]