Articulatory function following traumatic brain injury in childhood: a perceptual and instrumental analysis

To investigate the articulatory function of a group of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI), using both perceptual and instrumental techniques.

The performance of 24 children with TBI was assessed on a battery of perceptual (Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, Assessment of Intelligibility of Dysarthric Speech and speech sample analysis) and instrumental (lip and tongue pressure transduction systems) assessments and compared with that of 24 non-neurologically impaired children matched for age and sex.

Perceptual assessment identified consonant and vowel imprecision, increased length of phonemes and over-all reduction in speech intelligibility, while instrumental assessment revealed significant impairment in lip and tongue function in the TBI group, with rate and pressure in repetitive lip and tongue tasks particularly impaired. Significant negative correlations were identified between the degree of deviance of perceptual articulatory features and decreased function on many non-speech measures of lip function, as well as maximum tongue pressure and fine force tongue control at 20% of maximum tongue pressure. Additionally, sub-clinical articulatory deficits were identified in the children with TBI who were non-dysarthric.

The results of the instrumental assessment of lip and tongue function support the finding of substantial articulatory dysfunction in this group of children following TBI. Hence, remediation of articulatory function should be a therapeutic priority in these children.