Visual feedback therapy using electropalatography (EPG) for articulation disorders associated with cleft palate

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of visual feedback therapy using electropalatography (EPG) on abnormal /t/ and /s/ tongue–palate contact patterns in children and young adults with articulation disorders associated with repaired cleft palate. Twelve subjects were randomly assigned to one of two treatment regimes. Subjects in regime 1 received four sessions of individual therapy using EPG for visual feedback (‘EPG therapy’) followed by four sessions of therapy without EPG (‘non-EPG therapy’). Subjects in regime 2 had four sessions of non-EPG therapy followed by four sessions of EPG therapy. Analysis of tongue contact patterns showed that the majority (75%) of subjects had more normal articulatory patterns for /t/ and /or /s/ targets after EPG therapy. Non-EPG therapy had no apparent effect on articulatory patterns for most (92%) subjects. Three subjects (25%) failed to respond to either EPG or non-EPG therapy. The results indicate that EPG therapy has a positive effect on abnormal articulatory patterns in many, but not all, cleft palate speakers with articulation errors. The results also suggest that EPG therapy is more efficient than non- EPG therapy in changing articulatory patterns in subjects with cleft palate.