Supporting Children With Speech Sound Disorders During COVID-19 Restrictions: Technological Solutions

Abstract

Purpose “Children are the hidden victims of the COVID-19 pandemic” (United Nations Children's Fund, 2020). Timely and effective speech intervention is important to reduce the impact on children's school achievement, ability to make friends, mental health, future life opportunities, and government resources. Prior to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many Australian children did not receive sufficient speech-language pathology (SLP) services due to long waiting lists in the public health system. COVID-19 restrictions exacerbated this issue, as even children who were at the top of lengthy SLP waiting lists often received limited services, particularly in rural areas. To facilitate children receiving speech intervention remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence from randomized controlled trials regarding three technological solutions are examined: (a) Phoneme Factory Sound Sorter (Sound Start Study), (b) Waiting for Speech Pathology website, and (c) Apraxia World. Conclusions For the first two technological solutions, there were similar gains in speech production between the intervention and control groups, whereas, for the third solution, the average magnitude of treatment effect was comparable to face-to-face SLP therapy. Automated therapy management systems may be able to accelerate speech development and support communication resilience to counteract the effects of the COVID-19 restrictions on children with speech sound disorders. Technology-based strategies may also provide a potential solution to the chronic shortage of SLP services in rural areas into the future.

Promoting Language Skills in Children With Neuromotor and Intellectual Disorders: Telepractice at the Time of SARS-CoV-2

“…In the area of language development, in which therapy for phonological skills necessarily requires face-to-face contact, telepractice has proved truly innovative. The benefits of timely and effective telepracticebased intervention during the SARS-CoV2 emergency are especially valuable when the patients also suffer from associated neurodevelopmental disorders (McLeod et al, 2020).…”

Providing Virtual Support to Children With Mild Developmental Delays in Response to the Pandemic

“…In addition, children with neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities, who had received in-person services before the pandemic, experienced a disruption of care (Bhatia, 2020). Specifically, the literature showed that young children receiving speech and language services experienced a suspension of services and faced many challenges transitioning from in-person to virtual/telehealth support (McLeod, Ballard, Ahmed, McGill, & Brown, 2020). However, because of the need for continuing care despite pandemic conditions, telehealth has become the most viable and effective option for children to receive mental health and developmental services.…”

“They Can't Believe They're a Tiger”: Insights from pediatric speech‐language pathologist mobile app users and app designers

“…Not much information about the design or development of technology is explicitly stated in the ASHA scope of practice, but the need for these mobile applications and digital experiences was, potentially, even more evident with the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic (McLeod et al., 2020). The transition from in‐person therapy to teletherapy pushed and demanded practicing clinicians to utilise digital technologies that were appropriate for the clients to continue to meet their goals (Akamoglu et al, 2018; Albudoor & Peña, 2021).…”

“…Mobile apps have been defined as computer programs or software applications designed to run on a mobile device (e.g., phone, tablet). Many researchers have reported that SLPs have stated effective use of iPad‐based therapy (iTherapy) for speech and language intervention (Benedon, 2018; Cohen et al., 2017; McLeod et al., 2020) with clients who present various disorders (e.g., autism spectrum (ASD), cerebral palsy, Down syndrome). The majority of the research shows that the use of mobile apps occurs mostly in schools compared to other settings (e.g., hospitals, homes) (Cespedes‐Simangas et al., 2021; Cohen et al., 2017).…”