Neural Changes in Children With Residual Speech Sound Disorder After Ultrasound Biofeedback Speech Therapy.

PURPOSE: Children with residual speech sound disorders (RSSD) have shown differences in neural function for speech production, as compared to their typical peers; however, information about how these differences may change over time and relative to speech therapy is needed. To address this gap, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine functional activation and connectivity on adaptations of the syllable repetition task (SRT-Early Sounds and SRT-Late Sounds) in children with RSSD before and after a speech therapy program. METHOD: Sixteen children with RSSD completed an fMRI experiment before (Time 1) and after (Time 2) a speech therapy program with ultrasound visual feedback for /ɹ/ misarticulation. Progress in therapy was measured via perceptual ratings of productions of untreated /ɹ/ word probes. To control for practice effects and developmental change in patterns of activation and connectivity, 17 children with typical speech development (TD) completed the fMRI at Time 1 and Time 2. Functional activation was analyzed using a region-of-interest approach and functional connectivity was analyzed using a seed-to-voxel approach. RESULTS: Children with RSSD showed a range of responses to therapy. After correcting for multiple comparisons, we did not observe any statistically significant cross-sectional differences or longitudinal changes in functional activation. A negative relationship between therapy effect size and functional activation in the left visual association cortex was on the SRT-Late Sounds after therapy, but it did not survive correction for multiple comparisons. Significant longitudinal changes in functional connectivity were observed for the RSSD group on SRT-Early Sounds and SRT-Late Sounds, as well as for the TD group on the SRT-Early Sounds. RSSD and TD groups showed connectivity differences near the left insula on the SRT-Late Sounds at Time 2. CONCLUSION: RSSD and treatment with ultrasound visual feedback may thus be associated with neural differences in speech motor and visual association processes recruited for speech production.

A Qualitative Analysis of Clinician Perspectives of Ultrasound Biofeedback for Speech Sound Disorders.

PURPOSE: Ultrasound biofeedback therapy (UBT) is a relatively new type of technology-assisted speech-language therapy and has shown promise in remediating speech sound disorders. However, there is a current lack of understanding of the barriers and benefits that may influence the usage behavior and clinical decision making for the implementation of UBT from a clinician perspective. In this qualitative study, we explore the perspectives of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who have used ultrasound biofeedback in programs of speech sound therapy using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. METHOD: Seven SLPs who had clinical experience treating speech sound disorders with UBT participated. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted and video-recorded. Two coders coded and categorized the transcribed data, with consensus established with a third coder. Using thematic analysis, the data were exploratorily grouped into themes along components of the UTAUT model. RESULTS: The highest number of codes was sorted into the "effort expectancy" theme, followed by "performance expectancy," "social influence," and "facilitating conditions" themes of the UTAUT model. Clinicians identified multiple perceived barriers and benefits to the use of ultrasound technology. The top identified barrier was limited accessibility, and the top benefit was the ability to visualize a client's articulatory response to cues on a display. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians prioritized "effort expectancy" and "performance expectancy" when reflecting on the use of ultrasound biofeedback for speech sound disorders. Clinicians spoke favorably about using UBT for speech sound disorder treatment but acknowledged institutional barriers and limitations at organizational and social levels.

Tutorial: Using Visual-Acoustic Biofeedback for Speech Sound Training.

PURPOSE: This tutorial summarizes current practices using visual-acoustic biofeedback (VAB) treatment to improve speech outcomes for individuals with speech sound difficulties. Clinical strategies will focus on residual distortions of /ɹ/. METHOD: Summary evidence related to the characteristics of VAB and the populations that may benefit from this treatment are reviewed. Guidelines are provided for clinicians on how to use VAB with clients to identify and modify their productions to match an acoustic representation. The clinical application of a linear predictive coding spectrum is emphasized. RESULTS: Successful use of VAB requires several key factors including clinician and client comprehension of the acoustic representation, appropriate acoustic target and template selection, as well as appropriate selection of articulatory strategies, practice schedules, and feedback models to scaffold acquisition of new speech sounds. CONCLUSION: Integrating a VAB component in clinical practice offers additional intervention options for individuals with speech sound difficulties and often facilitates improved speech sound acquisition and generalization outcomes. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21817722.

Classification of accurate and misarticulated /ɑr/ for ultrasound biofeedback using tongue part displacement trajectories.

Ultrasound biofeedback therapy (UBT), which incorporates real-time imaging of tongue articulation, has demonstrated generally positive speech remediation outcomes for individuals with residual speech sound disorder (RSSD). However, UBT requires high attentional demands and may therefore benefit from a simplified display of articulation targets that are easily interpretable and can be compared to real-time articulation. Identifying such targets requires automatic quantification and analysis of movement features relevant to accurate speech production. Our image-analysis program TonguePART automatically quantifies tongue movement as tongue part displacement trajectories from midsagittal ultrasound videos of the tongue, with real-time capability. The present study uses such displacement trajectories to compare accurate and misarticulated American-English rhotic /ɑr/ productions from 40 children, with degree of accuracy determined by auditory perceptual ratings. To identify relevant features of accurate articulation, support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were trained and evaluated on several candidate data representations. Classification accuracy was up to 85%, indicating that quantification of tongue part displacement trajectories captured tongue articulation characteristics that distinguish accurate from misarticulated production of /ɑr/. Regression models for perceptual ratings were also compared. The simplest data representation that retained high predictive ability, demonstrated by high classification accuracy and strong correlation between observed and predicted ratings, was displacements at the midpoint of /r/ relative to /ɑ/ for the tongue dorsum and blade. This indicates that movements of the dorsum and blade are especially relevant to accurate production of /r/, suggesting that a predictive parameter and biofeedback target based on this data representation may be usable for simplified UBT.

Music and musical elements in the treatment of childhood speech sound disorders: A systematic review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Music-based interventions are used in the treatment of childhood speech sound disorders (SSDs). Hypotheses on working mechanisms are being developed, focussing on shared neural processes. However, evidence of the effect of treatment with musical elements in SSDs in children is lacking. This study reviews the literature regarding the use of music-based interventions in the treatment of childhood SSDs. METHOD: A systematic search in six databases was conducted, yielding 199 articles, eight of which met the inclusion criteria. Included articles were reviewed on study characteristics, patient characteristics, interventions, outcomes and methodological quality. RESULT: This review included four case studies, three single-subject design studies and one cohort study. Seven studies reported positive outcomes on speech production, but outcome measures in the four studies with experimental design were not all aimed at the level of speech (motor) processes. Methodological quality was sufficient in one study. CONCLUSION: Seven out of eight studies in this review report positive outcomes of music-based interventions in the treatment of SSDs. However, these outcomes are not sufficiently supported by evidence due to insufficient methodological quality. Suggestions for improving methodological quality in future research are presented.

Baseline Stimulability Predicts Patterns of Response to Traditional and Ultrasound Biofeedback Treatment for Residual Speech Sound Disorder.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify predictors of response to treatment for residual speech sound disorder (RSSD) affecting English rhotics. Progress was tracked during an initial phase of traditional motor-based treatment and a longer phase of treatment incorporating ultrasound biofeedback. Based on previous literature, we focused on baseline stimulability and sensory acuity as predictors of interest. METHOD: Thirty-three individuals aged 9-15 years with residual distortions of /ɹ/ received a course of individual intervention comprising 1 week of intensive traditional treatment and 9 weeks of ultrasound biofeedback treatment. Stimulability for /ɹ/ was probed prior to treatment, after the traditional treatment phase, and after the end of all treatment. Accuracy of /ɹ/ production in each probe was assessed with an acoustic measure: normalized third formant (F3)-second formant (F2) distance. Model-based clustering analysis was applied to these acoustic measures to identify different average trajectories of progress over the course of treatment. The resulting clusters were compared with respect to acuity in auditory and somatosensory domains. RESULTS: All but four individuals were judged to exhibit a clinically significant response to the combined course of treatment. Two major clusters were identified. The "low stimulability" cluster was characterized by very low accuracy at baseline, minimal response to traditional treatment, and strong response to ultrasound biofeedback. The "high stimulability" group was more accurate at baseline and made significant gains in both traditional and ultrasound biofeedback phases of treatment. The clusters did not differ with respect to sensory acuity. CONCLUSIONS: This research accords with clinical intuition in finding that individuals who are more stimulable at baseline are more likely to respond to traditional intervention, whereas less stimulable individuals may derive greater relative benefit from biofeedback. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.20422236.

Drawing Talking: Listening to Children With Speech Sound Disorders.

PURPOSE: Listening to children using age-appropriate techniques supports evidence-based clinical decision-making. In this article, we test the Sound Effects Study Drawing Protocol, an arts-based technique, to support children with speech sound disorder (SSD) to express their views about talking. METHOD: Participants were 124 Australian children aged 4-5 years in the Sound Effects Study. Their parents and teachers were concerned about their talking, and they were assessed as having SSD on the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology. Drawings and children's interpretations were elicited then analyzed using the (a) Who Am I? Draw-a-Person Scale and (b) Sound Effects Study Focal Points. RESULTS: Drawings were developmentally typical for 4- to 5-year-olds. The six Sound Effects Study Focal Points were identified across the 124 drawings: body parts and facial expressions, talking and listening, relationships and connection, positivity, negativity, and no talking. Participants portrayed talking and listening as an action requiring mouths and ears represented by symbols (letters, speech bubbles) or as an activity with a variety of people. Children typically portrayed themselves as happy when talking; however, some portrayed negativity and some chose not to draw talking. CONCLUSIONS: In keeping with Articles 12 and 13 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, this research demonstrated that 4- to 5-year-old children with SSD can express their views about talking via drawing. Professionals may use the Sound Effects Study Drawing Protocol as a child-friendly technique to support children to express views to guide holistic, evidence-based, child-centered speech-language pathology practice.

Auditory Perception and Ultrasound Biofeedback Treatment Outcomes for Children With Residual /ɹ/ Distortions: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose This study evaluated whether outcomes from treatment, which includes ultrasound visual feedback (UVF), would be more or less effective when combined with auditory perception training for children with residual /ɹ/ errors. Method Children ages 8-16 years with /ɹ/ distortions participated in speech therapy that included real-time UVF of the tongue. Thirty-eight participants were randomized to speech therapy conditions that included a primary focus on articulation using UVF or a condition that included auditory perceptual training plus UVF (incorporating category goodness judgments and self-monitoring). Generalization of /ɹ/ production accuracy to untrained words was assessed before and after 14 hr of therapy. Additionally, the role of auditory perceptual acuity was explored using a synthetic /ɹ/-/w/ continuum. Results There was no difference between the treatment groups in rate of improvement of /ɹ/ accuracy (increase of 34% for each group; p = .95, ηp2 = .00). However, pretreatment auditory acuity was associated with treatment progress in both groups, with finer perceptual acuity corresponding to greater progress (p = .015, ηp2 = .182). Conclusion Similar gains in speech sound accuracy can be made with treatment that includes UVF with or without auditory perceptual training. Fine-grained perceptual acuity may be a prognostic indicator with treatment. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.11886219.

Systematic review of ultrasound visual biofeedback in intervention for speech sound disorders.

BACKGROUND: As cost and access barriers to ultrasound technology have decreased, interest in using ultrasound visual biofeedback (U-VBF) as a tool for remediating speech sound disorders (SSD) has increased. A growing body of research has investigated U-VBF in intervention for developmental SSD; however, diversity in study design, participant characteristics, clinical methods and outcomes complicate the interpretation of this literature. Thus, there is a need for a synthesis and review of the evidence base for using U-VBF in intervention for SSD. AIMS: To synthesise and evaluate the research evidence for U-VBF in intervention for developmental SSD. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted. Eight electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published before 2018. Details about study design, participants, intervention procedures, service delivery, intervention intensity and outcomes were extracted from each study that met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were rated using both a critical appraisal tool and for their reporting of intervention detail. MAIN CONTRIBUTIONS: Twenty-eight papers, comprising 29 studies, met the inclusion criteria. The most common research design was single-case experimental design (44.8% of studies). The studies included between one and 13 participants (mean = 4.1) who had a mean age of approximately 11 years (range = 4;0-27 years). Within the research evidence, U-VBF intervention was typically provided as part of, or as an adjunct to, other articulatory-based therapy approaches. A range of lingual sounds were targeted in intervention, with 80.6% of participants across all reviewed studies receiving intervention targeting rhotics. Outcomes following therapy were generally positive with the majority of studies reporting that U-VBF facilitated acquisition of targets, with effect sizes ranging from no effect to a large effect. Difficulties with generalisation were observed for some participants. Most studies (79.3%) were categorised as efficacy rather than effectiveness studies and represented lower levels of evidence. Overall, the reviewed studies scored more highly on measures of external validity than internal validity. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence base for U-VBF is developing; however, most studies used small sample sizes and lower strength designs. Current evidence indicates that U-VBF may be an effective adjunct to intervention for some individuals whose speech errors persist despite previous intervention. The results of this systematic review underscore the need for more high-quality and large-scale research exploring the use of this intervention in both controlled and community contexts.

Remediating Residual Rhotic Errors With Traditional and Ultrasound-Enhanced Treatment: A Single-Case Experimental Study.

Purpose The aim of the study was to examine how ultrasound visual feedback (UVF) treatment impacts speech sound learning in children with residual speech errors affecting /ɹ/. Method Twelve children, ages 9-14 years, received treatment for vocalic /ɹ/ errors in a multiple-baseline across-subjects design comparing 8 sessions of UVF treatment and 8 sessions of traditional (no-biofeedback) treatment. All participants were exposed to both treatment conditions, with order counterbalanced across participants. To monitor progress, naïve listeners rated the accuracy of vocalic /ɹ/ in untreated words. Results After the first 8 sessions, children who received UVF were judged to produce more accurate vocalic /ɹ/ than those who received traditional treatment. After the second 8 sessions, within-participant comparisons revealed individual variation in treatment response. However, group-level comparisons revealed greater accuracy in children whose treatment order was UVF followed by traditional treatment versus children who received the reverse treatment order. Conclusion On average, 8 sessions of UVF were more effective than 8 sessions of traditional treatment for remediating vocalic /ɹ/ errors. Better outcomes were also observed when UVF was provided in the early rather than later stages of learning. However, there remains a significant individual variation in response to UVF and traditional treatment, and larger group-level studies are needed. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.8206640.

Enabling New Articulatory Gestures in Children With Persistent Speech Sound Disorders Using Ultrasound Visual Biofeedback.

Purpose This study evaluated ultrasound visual biofeedback treatment for teaching new articulations to children with a wide variety of speech sound disorders. It was hypothesized that motor-based intervention incorporating ultrasound would lead to rapid acquisition of a range of target lingual gestures with generalization to untreated words. Method Twenty children aged 6-15 years with a range of mild to severe speech disorders affecting a variety of lingual targets enrolled in a case series with replication. Of these, 15 children completed the intervention. All of the children presented with a variety of errors. We therefore employed a target selection strategy to treat the most frequent lingual error. These individual speech targets were treated using ultrasound visual biofeedback as part of ten to twelve 1-hr intervention sessions. The primary outcome measure was percentage of target segments correct in untreated wordlists. Results Six children were treated for velar fronting; 3 children, for postalveolar fronting; 2 children, for backing alveolars to pharyngeal or glottal place; 1 child, for debuccalization (production of all onsets as [h]); 1 child, for vowel merger; and 2 children, for lateralized sibilants. Ten achieved the new articulation in the 1st or 2nd session of intervention, despite no children being readily stimulable for their target articulation before intervention. In terms of generalization, effect sizes for percentage of target segments correct ranged from no effect (5 children), small effect (1 child), medium effect (4 children), and large effect (5 children). Conclusions Ultrasound visual biofeedback can be used to treat a wide range of lingual errors in children with various speech sound disorders, from mild to severe. Visual feedback may be useful for establishing new articulations; however, generalization is more variable.

Speech Sound Disorder and Visual Biofeedback Intervention: A Preliminary Investigation of Treatment Intensity.

A growing body of research suggests that cases of speech sound errors that have not responded to previous intervention can sometimes be eliminated through speech therapy incorporating visual biofeedback. Aside from considerations related to the specific biofeedback type, acquisition and generalization of a motor plan may be linked to treatment intensity. Several researchers have raised the possibility that inadequate dosage levels may present a significant barrier to success. Thus, the current study aimed to assess the relationship between treatment intensity and treatment outcomes. Twenty-nine articles reporting the use of visual biofeedback intervention for speech sound disorder were identified and coded for treatment intensity using the cumulative intervention index and outcomes using mean level difference scores. Findings reveal small but significant relationships between measures of treatment intensity and efficacy, which should be interpreted with caution given the preliminary nature of this review. Further research in this area is necessary, as inconsistencies in reporting intensity and outcomes across studies underscore the need for more systematic terminology and reporting methods.

Treatment for Residual Rhotic Errors With High- and Low-Frequency Ultrasound Visual Feedback: A Single-Case Experimental Design.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore how the frequency with which ultrasound visual feedback (UVF) is provided during speech therapy affects speech sound learning. Method: Twelve children with residual speech errors affecting /ɹ/ participated in a multiple-baseline across-subjects design with 2 treatment conditions. One condition featured 8 hr of high-frequency UVF (HF; feedback on 89% of trials), whereas the other included 8 hr of lower-frequency UVF (LF; 44% of trials). The order of treatment conditions was counterbalanced across participants. All participants were treated on vocalic /ɹ/. Progress was tracked by measuring generalization on /ɹ/ in untreated words. Results: After the 1st treatment phase, participants who received the HF condition outperformed those who received LF. At the end of the 2-phase treatment, within-participant comparisons showed variability across individual outcomes in both HF and LF conditions. However, a group level analysis of this small sample suggested that participants whose treatment order was HF-LF made larger gains than those whose treatment order was LF-HF. Conclusions: The order HF-LF may represent a preferred order for UVF in speech therapy. This is consistent with empirical work and theoretical arguments suggesting that visual feedback may be particularly beneficial in the early stages of acquiring new speech targets.

Programa de intervenção práxico-produtivo para crianças com transtorno fonológico / Praxis-productive intervention program for children with phonological disorder

A fala é definida como a representação motora da Linguagem, a partir da coordenação de três processos neurológicos: organização de conceitos, formulação e expressão simbólica; programação do ato motor envolvido na produção da fala e a sua própria produção motora. O controle motor da fala, que ordena a contração muscular para a sua execução de praxias, inclui o planejamento, a preparação de movimentos e a execução de planos, com vistas a contrações musculares e deslocamentos de estruturas que culminarão na articulação da fala. Os trabalhos científicos nacionais e internacionais vislumbram um novo campo de atuação fonoaudiológica para o trabalho com a fala alterada, com a estimulação da praxias não verbais. Os objetivos deste trabalho centram-se na elaboração de um Programa de Intervenção Práxico-produtivo e aplicação em crianças com transtorno fonológico, para verificar sua aplicabilidade na clínica fonoaudiológica. O trabalho foi dividido em 2 etapas. A 1ª etapa contou com a revisão, na bibliografia nacional e internacional, do tratamento dado às praxias orais e não verbais e suas aplicações clínicas no âmbito fonoaudiológico, por meio de busca nas bases de dados PubMed, Lilacs e Scielo. Os artigos mostraram que a praxia não verbal pode ser estimulada para o trabalho clínico com a fala, no entanto, não há descrição do trabalho fonoaudiológico, tampouco um detalhamento de exercícios em sequência que poderiam ser usados. Nenhum artigo referiu o modo pelo qual as praxias não verbais deveriam ser trabalhadas, nem mesmo como se deve estimular a programação motora para a fala. Baseados nessa revisão, este estudo propôs um programa de estimulação das praxias não verbais de lábios e língua e dos aspectos fonológicos em 12 sessões pré-determinadas. Após elaboração do programa, aplicouse o material em 12 crianças, com idades entre 6 e 8 anos, com transtorno fonológico, que se enquadravam nos critérios de inclusão do estudo, para mostrar sua aplicabilidade na clínica. Os resultados apontaram melhora da realização da fala em todos os sujeitos, no tempo estipulado pelo instrumento, com escores superiores nas provas avaliativas de fonologia e praxias orais pós-intervenção, quando comparadas aos scores da pré-intervenção. O Programa de Intervenção Práxico-produtivo mostrou-se útil, simples, de fácil aplicação pelo fonoaudiólogo e de bom entendimento pelos participantes, com respostas favoráveis à aquisição dos fonemas.(AU)

Speech is defined as the motor representation of language from the coordination of three neurological processes: organization of concepts, formulation and symbolic expression; programming of motor act involved in speech production and its own motor production. The speech motor control, which orders the muscle contraction for its execution, includes the planning, preparation of movements and execution of plans, with a view to muscle contractions and movements of structures that will culminate in speech. National and international scientific papers envision a new field of speech therapy to work with altered speech with the stimulation of non-verbal praxis. The objectives of the present study focuses on the development of a Program of Praxis- Productive Intervention and its application in children with phonological disorder in order to verify its usability in speech therapy. The study was defined in 2 parts. The 1st stage included a review of the national and international literature for the treatment of oral and non-verbal praxis and its clinical applications in the area of speech by searching in the PubMed, Lilacs and Scielo databases. The articles showed that nonverbal praxis can be stimulated for clinical work with speech, however, there is no description of speech therapy work, nor a breakdown of exercises in sequence that could be used. No article referred to the way in which non-verbal praxis should be worked, not even how to stimulate motor programming for speech. Based on this review, the present study proposed a stimulation program of non-verbal praxis of the lips and tongue and the phonological aspects in 12 predetermined sessions. After drawing up the program, the material was applied to 12 children, aged between 6 and 8 years with phonological disorder that met the inclusion criteria of the study in order to show their applicability in practice. The results showed improvement in the realization of Speech in all subjects at the time stipulated by the instrument, with higher scores on the evaluative evidence of Phonology and Oral Praxis post-intervention compared to the scores of pre-intervention. The Praxis-productive intervention program was useful, simple, easy to apply by the speech patologist and had a good understanding by the participants with favorable responses for the acquisition of phonemes.(AU)

Electropalatography for Older Children and Adults with Residual Speech Errors.

Most residual speech errors (RSEs) involve abnormal positioning or movement of the tongue. However, it is not possible under normal circumstances to view directly the actions of the tongue during production of these distorted articulations. The visually inaccessible location of the tongue can often make precise diagnosis difficult in cases of RSEs, and intervention can be a particular challenge for clinicians when speech errors persist in older children and adults. Electropalatography (EPG) is a technique that can provide objective and clinically relevant data about details of tongue articulation during speech. Furthermore, biofeedback with EPG offers the possibility of an effective intervention for RSEs. This tutorial provides an overview of EPG and describes how the technique can contribute to our knowledge and treatment of abnormal tongue-palate contact in older children and adults with RSEs. An illustrative case study of a child with RSEs affecting fricatives and affricates is included.

Retroflex versus bunched in treatment for rhotic misarticulation: evidence from ultrasound biofeedback intervention.

PURPOSE: To document the efficacy of ultrasound biofeedback treatment for misarticulation of the North American English rhotic in children. Because of limited progress in the first cohort, a series of two closely related studies was conducted in place of a single study. The studies differed primarily in the nature of tongue-shape targets (e.g., retroflex, bunched) cued during treatment. METHOD: Eight participants received 8 weeks of individual ultrasound biofeedback treatment targeting rhotics. In Study 1, all 4 participants were cued to match a bunched tongue-shape target. In Study 2, participants received individualized cues aimed at eliciting the tongue shape most facilitative of perceptually correct rhotics. RESULTS: Participants in Study 1 showed only minimal treatment effects. In Study 2, all participants demonstrated improved production of rhotics in untreated words produced without biofeedback, with large to very large effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of Study 2 indicate that with proper parameters of treatment, ultrasound biofeedback can be a highly effective intervention for children with persistent rhotic errors. In addition, qualitative comparison of Studies 1 and 2 suggests that treatment for the North American English rhotic should include opportunities to explore different tongue shapes, to find the most facilitative variant for each individual speaker.