Free Ultrasound Visual Feedback Treatment for Children with Speech Articulation Problems

A Research Study at Syracuse University

Who is Eligible? Children ages 10-14 with articulation problems on the /r/ sound are now being recruited for a study. This includes children who have a history of childhood apraxia of speech, as well as children with articulation problems on /r/ who do not have childhood apraxia of speech. Children with speech disorders due to hearing loss, cleft palate, autism or other developmental disability are not eligible at this time.

What Will Happen? Children will be screened during a 1.5 hour visit at Syracuse University. During this session, several speech and language tests will be administered. If the child is eligible, he/she may be invited to participate in follow-up visits and to attend up to 14 sessions involving speech therapy with ultrasound used to provide a visual display of the tongue. The child places the ultrasound beneath the chin. This generates a “real-time movie” of the tongue, which can be used to help the child understand what is happening in the mouth when producing speech sounds. These images are used to cue the child to move the tongue to different positions and to make different tongue shapes to achieve a correct /r/.

What Does it Cost? There is no cost to participants. Families will be compensated $20/hr for each hour of testing plus $5/session for travel costs. No monetary compensation will be provided during sessions in which speech lessons are provided.

What are the Risks? Ultrasounds use sound energy to create the images. Ultrasound imaging has been extensively studied. There are no known risks with this low-level imaging.

Where will the study take place? Syracuse University’s South Campus at 621 Skytop Rd. , Syracuse N.Y. 13210

How Do I Find Out More? Email Jonathan Preston, CCC-SLP, speechproductionlab@syr.edu Or call 315-443-1351