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How changes to frequency of treatment and mode of treatment improved paediatric speech-language pathology services: A
Virginia M Van Epps1, Morgan Daur-Schierholz1, Mary Dortenzio1
1Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Connecticut Children's, Hartford, CT, USA.
Insights
Speech-language pathology intervention outcomes in children did not significantly differ between weekly and fortnightly sessions or telepractice and in-office modes. Home program completion also showed no significant outcome differences.
Area of Science:
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Clinical Trials
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Traditional speech-language pathology interventions often involve frequent in-office sessions.
- Parental involvement and home-based programs are crucial for effective therapy.
- Telepractice offers a potential alternative for service delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the functional impact of a modified speech-language pathology intervention delivery model.
- To compare outcomes between different intervention frequencies (weekly vs. fortnightly) and delivery modes (telepractice vs. in-office).
Main Methods:
- A pragmatic clinical trial involving 40 children.
- Random assignment to weekly or fortnightly intervention sessions.
- Standardized pre- and post-treatment testing.
- Inclusion of parent training and home programs.
- Choice of telepractice and/or in-office treatment modes.
Main Results:
- Significant performance improvements were observed post-intervention in all participants.
- No significant differences in outcomes were found between weekly and fortnightly groups.
- No significant differences in outcomes were found between telepractice and in-office delivery modes.
- Home program completion did not significantly impact outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Intervention frequency and delivery modality may not significantly affect functional speech-language outcomes in children.
- Modified intervention models, including telepractice and reduced frequency, show promise.
- Larger studies are needed to confirm efficacy and explore benefits like reduced family burden.
Purpose:
This pragmatic clinical trial examined the functional impact of a modified speech-language pathology intervention delivery model (including telepractice, reduced therapy frequency, and emphasised home programmes with parent training) on child outcomes.
Method:
A convenience sample of 40 children from speech-language pathology clinics at one institution was randomly assigned to 8 weekly or 8 fortnightly hour-long speech-language pathology intervention sessions. Pre-treatment and post-treatment standardised tests were administered and compared. All participants received parent training, a prescription for home programmes, and chose their preferred mode of treatment (telepractice and/or in-office). ANOVA and t-tests explored outcomes. Significance level was 0.05.
Result:
Performance improved post-intervention in both groups; score improvements were not significantly different between weekly vs. fortnightly groups or delivery modes. This may indicate that varied modes and frequencies of therapy produce similar outcomes. Home programme completion did not result in significant outcome differences. Some findings may be attributed to the small sample size.
Conclusion:
Children's functional speech-language performance outcomes may not differ based on frequency (weekly vs. fortnightly) and/or modality of intervention (telepractice vs. in-office). More research in larger populations is needed to explore if such interventions are efficacious while reducing burden to families' schedules, finances, and travel.
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