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Published on: January 11, 2016
Organizing logopedic therapy for babies with unilateral and bilateral brain lesion in the prespeech period
1Center for Hearing and Speech, Maribor, Slovenia. vida.gec@guest.arnes.si
Insights
Early prespeech therapy is crucial for infants with brain lesions. Early monitoring and speech therapy can enhance phonological development in babies with at-birth brain injuries.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Neurorehabilitation
Background:
- Infants with at-birth brain lesions face challenges in prespeech development.
- Early intervention is critical for mitigating developmental deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of early prespeech therapy for infants with acquired brain lesions.
- To establish a protocol for observing phonological development in infants aged 6-24 months.
Main Methods:
- A research protocol was developed to observe phonological development in infants from 6 to 24 months.
- Data collected via mother's diaries and logopedic office observations.
- Compared an experimental group (30 infants with brain lesions) with a control group (60 healthy infants).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in phonological development were observed between the experimental and control groups.
- Phonological development was present in infants with brain lesions at 6, 9, 12, and 24 months.
- Early monitoring and logopedic rehabilitation positively impacted development in the experimental group.
Conclusions:
- Early prespeech therapy and monitoring are vital for enhancing phonological development in infants with brain lesions.
- Intervention can improve developmental trajectories despite initial differences compared to healthy peers.
Abstract:
The goal of the research was to point out the importance of early prespeech therapy for babies suffering from at-birth-acquired unilateral or bilateral lesion in the prespeech period of development. On the basis of existing studies and experience in the field, a protocol and methodology for the observation of the phonological development of infants in the period between 6 and 24 months were established. Mothers made notes of the changes in the child's development in a diary specially prepared for the research. The data from the diary and the babies' reaction to the therapy in the logopedic office were inserted into the protocol. The research itself involved an experimental and a control group. The control group consisted of 60 babies without brain lesion, while the experimental group was composed of 30 babies suffering from brain lesion obtained at birth as a result of hemorrhaging, hypoxia, and asphyxia. The phonological development of the babies was observed through the ages of 6, 9, 12, and 24 months. This article demonstrates the significant differences in phonological development between the experimental and the control group. The results of the research show that phonological development in the first 6, 9, 12, and 24 months does indeed exist in the experimental group (despite the differences when compared with the control group) and can be enhanced with early monitoring and logopedic rehabilitation in the case of babies with brain lesion.
