The case study focuses on Bob, an eleven-year-old boy who developed acquired aphasia following neurological trauma. The therapeutic program outlined in the study emphasizes the importance of a systematic approach to developing both auditory comprehension and expressive speech skills.
Key Takeaways for Practitioners
Practitioners can enhance their therapeutic techniques by incorporating the following strategies from the case study:
- Structured Approach: Break down activities into their smallest components and ensure overlearning of each step before progressing. This prevents the loss of specific skills as new ones are acquired.
- Phoneme Discrimination: Begin with improving the child's ability to discriminate between different phonemes. Use both verbal and visual cues initially, then gradually remove visual cues to ensure reliance on auditory discrimination.
- Sound Production: Use a hierarchy of training steps for both vowels and consonants. Start with imitation using both visual and auditory cues, then progress to spontaneous production using only auditory cues.
- Sound Sequencing: Combine consonants with the vowel /a/ to teach sound sequencing. Use rapid repetition to enhance the child's ability to transition quickly between articulatory postures.
- Language Training: Focus on functional communication by choosing remedial activities relevant to the child's day-to-day life. Use a structured hierarchy for teaching vocabulary and expanding mean length of utterance (MLU).
Encouraging Further Research
While the case study provides a detailed program for one child, it highlights the need for further research into therapeutic programs for children with acquired aphasia. Practitioners are encouraged to explore additional case studies and theoretical models to enhance their understanding and approach to treating this complex condition.
By staying informed through conferences, publications, and webinars, and by networking with other professionals, practitioners can continue to develop and refine their skills in providing effective therapy for children with acquired aphasia.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: An Expressive Speech Program for a Child with Acquired Aphasia: A Case Study.
