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Multicenter Study on Communication, Language and Speech in Italian Children with Cerebral Palsy-Survey, Assessement
Elisa Granocchio1, Claudia Maggiulli1,2, Luca Andreoli1,3
1Department of Pediatric Neuroscience, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta", 20133 Milan, Italy.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Standardizing communication assessments for children with cerebral palsy (CP) is crucial. This network developed protocols and a classification system to improve diagnosis and support participation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Communication, language, and speech disorders are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
- These disorders significantly affect social, educational, and community participation.
- Systematic characterization of communicative profiles using standardized assessments is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify research priorities for speech and language disorders in children with CP.
- To develop specialized assessment protocols tailored to children with CP.
- To propose a shared classification system for these disorders.
Main Methods:
- A survey was distributed to 11 specialized centers to assess current clinical practices and tools.
- An extensive literature review informed the development process.
- Three age- and complexity-based diagnostic protocols and a shared classification system were created.
Main Results:
- High variability in test selection for speech and pragmatic assessments was observed.
- A significant need for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools was identified.
- Three standardized protocols were defined for different age groups and needs: early language (<48 months), school-age language and pragmatics (4-12 years), and minimally verbal children (6-12 years).
- A multi-level classification system for speech and language disorders was proposed to enhance diagnostic consistency.
Conclusions:
- Standardizing assessments is vital for early identification of communication vulnerabilities.
- This standardization will guide tailored interventions and improve participation and quality of life.
- A framework for multicenter data collection is proposed to link linguistic/speech phenotypes with neuroradiological and motor outcomes.