Generalised EPG treatment effect in a cochlear implant user maintained after 2 years

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate speech therapy using electropalatography (EPG) in home training of persistent articulation errors in a cochlear implant user with hearing impairment. There was a particular focus on aspects of maintenance of training effects and possible transfer to connected speech.

Method: The participant was a young woman, deaf from early childhood and a cochlear implant user from pre-school age. Treatment effects were evaluated using a single-subject design with multiple measures.

Result: Instrumental and perceptual outcome measures showed a clear improvement in the production of the treatment target /ɡ/ in single words and sentences after 4 months of therapy (17 hours). The results were maintained at 3, 6 and 24 months after intervention. Also, /ɡ/ in connected speech, consisting of text reading and spontaneous speech, showed a significant difference between before and after treatment and at long-term follow-up.

Conclusion: The results show that EPG used in home training can be an efficient method for treating persistent speech disorders associated with hearing impairment and that the treatment effect appears to maintain.

Keywords: Electropalatography (EPG); articulation disorder; cochlear implant; intervention.