Widening Access to Electropalatography for Children With Persistent Sound System Disorders

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated the value of using electropalatography (EPG) to assess, diagnose, and treat persistent sound system disorders in children. However, the application of EPG research has been limited in clinical contexts because most speech-language pathologists do not have access to the technique. This article provides an overview of recent EPG research on persistent sound system disorders and describes a network that has been established to widen access to EPG. The use of EPG via the network is illustrated in the case description of an 8-year-old boy, Robbie, who presented with a persisting speech disorder. The network was used because the clinician treating Robbie did not have an EPG. The main perceptual feature of Robbie’s speech before EPG treatment was the deviant phonological process of backing /t/ and /d/ targets to velar place of articulation. EPG was used to assess articulatory patterns before treatment, to provide visual feedback as part of a treatment program, and to record changes in tongue-palate contact patterns as treatment progressed. Robbie achieved normal /t/ and /d/ articulatory patterns after treatment and was subsequently discharged. Factors that could have contributed to the successful outcome in this case are discussed, and areas requiring further research are identified.

Normal adult speakers' tongue palate contact patterns for alveolar oral and nasal stops

“…A study using electropalatography (EPG) by Houston (2002) found that almost two thirds of a group of children with cleft palate produced /n/ at a significantly more forward placement compared to /t/. Other EPG studies have found similar patterns of retracted placement for oral stops but normal alveolar placement for the nasal stop in school aged children with functional Tongue palate contact for alveolars 2 articulation disorders (Gibbon, Dent and Hardcastle, 1993;Gibbon, Stewart, Hardcastle and Crampin, 1999).…”

Preliminary Case Studies Investigating the Use of Electropalatography (EPG) Manufactured by CompleteSpeech® as a Biofeedback Toolin Intervention

“…The children presented in the different studies have difficulty with fricatives, affricates, rhotic /r/, alveolar and velar phonemes (McAuliffe & Cornwell, 2008;Gibbon, Stewart, Hardcastle & Crampin, 1999;Gibbon & Wood, 2003;Carter & Edwards, 2004). Most research used case studies; however, there are different EPG systems employed in the different studies, different intervention protocols and procedures used in the studies.…”

“…3(1), June 2015 The term is commonly used to refer to children who fail to develop their speech sounds at a typical age in the absence of an organic impairment (Gibbon, Stewart, Hardcastle & Crampin, 1999). As reported on the ASHA Portal (2015), Law, Boyle, Harris, Harkness, & Nye (2000) completed a systematic review and estimated the prevalence of speech sound disorders to range from 2% to 25% of children ages 5 to 7 years.…”

“…The financial constraints and amount of time it takes to obtain the EPG technology can be a deterrent for clinicians. According to Gibbon et al (1999) clinicians may feel that an investment in EPG is not cost effective. It should also be noted that the electro palate can initially make speech sound more distorted as it takes time to adjust to the device in the oral cavity.…”

Enhancing Intervention for Residual Rhotic Errors Via App-Delivered Biofeedback: A Case Study

“…Various technologies, such as ultrasound and electropalatography, have been used to provide real-time information about the location and movements of the articulators during speech (e.g., Adler-Bock, Bernhardt, Gick, & Bacsfalvi, 2007;Gibbon, Stewart, Hardcastle, & Crampin, 1999;McAllister Byun, Hitchcock, & Swartz, 2014;Preston et al, 2013Preston et al, , 2014. Another alternative is visual-acoustic biofeedback, such as a dynamic visual display of the formants or resonant frequencies of the vocal tract.…”