A shift of treatment approach in speech language pathology services for children with speech sound disorders - a single case study of an intense intervention based on non-linear phonology and motor-learning principles.

Even though there are documented benefits of direct intensive intervention for children with speech sound disorders (SSDs), the intensity given at Swedish Speech Language Pathology services rarely exceeds once a week. Also, indirect therapy approaches are commonly employed. The purpose of the present case study was to investigate the effects of an intensive specialist therapy, based on non-linear phonological analysis and motor learning principles. The participant was a boy aged 4:10 years with severe SSD, who previously had received indirect therapy from age 3 with, very limited results. A single subject ABA design was used. At baseline, whole word match was 0%, Word shape CV match was 39% and PCC was 22, 7%. He had no multisyllabic words, no consonant clusters and no established coronals. Intervention was given 4 days weekly for 3 weeks in two periods with a 7-week intervening break and a post therapy assessments. Therapy was focused on establishing multisyllabic words, iambic stress pattern, clusters and coronals with the principle of using already established elements for targeting new elements. At post therapy assessment, whole word match was 39%, word shape CV match was 71% and PCC 69.1%. Multisyllabic words (86%), coronals (82%) and word initial clusters (80%) were established. Without being targeted, back vowels were also present and segment timing improved. The strong treatment effects of this study demonstrate that at least severe cases of SSD require the clinical knowledge and skills that only a SLP can provide and that frequent direct therapy is both beneficial and needed.