Identifier

etd-04132015-111803

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective – The present study aimed to determine if a treatment effect is present on speech outcomes in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) given 5 sessions of a manual therapy treatment protocol. Methods – A single-subject experimental design (ABAB) study was devised to establish the treatment efficacy of a manual therapy protocol on speech outcomes in children with spastic CP. The protocol was administered to 5 participants, 4-6 years old. It included five intercostal stretches administered in 15-minute sessions for five sessions. During the withdrawal phase, a sham treatment was administered that included an equal dosage of treatment. Measurements of sound pressure level (SPL) and Maximum Phonation Duration (MPD) of /a/ served as the primary outcomes. Secondary outcome measures included speech intelligibility, syllables per breath unit (SBU), and chest structure measurements. Results – Trend, level, variability, effect sizes, % of Non-Overlapping Data, and immediacy of effect were combined to support or refute each effect. 15 of 15 demonstrations of effect for SPL, and 9 of 15 demonstrations of effect for MPD were located. This data demonstrate a positive effect on SPL and minimal support for an effect on MPD. Secondary outcome measures of SBU and chest mobility showed a positive treatment effect, while speech intelligibility and abdominal protrusion did not. Conclusions – This is the first known study to demonstrate a treatment effect in SPL and SBU using a manual therapy protocol, which provide evidence of a likely treatment effect in speech outcomes in children with spastic CP.

Date

2015

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Donovan, Neila

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.3611

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