Factors associated with motor speech control in children with spastic cerebral palsy

Chia Ling Chen, Keh Chung Lin, Chia Hui Chen, Chih Chi Chen, Wen Yu Liu, Chia Ying Chung, Chung Yao Chen, Ching Yi Wu*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Speech production is often impaired in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study investigated the factors associated with motor speech control in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Thirty-three children with spastic CP who were able to speak were identified for this study. They were classified into two groups: group A (spastic diplegia or hemiplegia, n = 17) and group B (spastic quadriplegia, n = 16). Each child received various assessments, namely cognition, language, modified Verbal Motor Production Assessment for Children (VMPAC), speech intelligibility, CP subtype, and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results: Group A showed better cognition and language function, higher modified VMPAC scores and better GMFCS levels than group B (p < 0.05). However, the two groups did not significantly differ in speech intelligibility. Linear regression indicated that all modified VMPAC scores were negatively related to CP subtype (adjusted r2 = 0.51~0.63, p < 0.001). The average modified VMPAC scores had a positive relationship with global language scores (adjusted r2 = 0.63, p < 0.001), and the modified VMPAC scores of the sequence subtests were positively related to the full intelligence quotients (adjusted r2 = 0.55, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that motor impairment severity, cognition and language functions are associated with the motor speech control among children with CP.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)415-423
Number of pages9
JournalChang Gung Medical Journal
Volume33
Issue number4
StatePublished - 07 2010

Keywords

  • Cerebral palsy
  • Motor severity
  • Motor speech control
  • Oro-motor control
  • Speech intelligibility

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Factors associated with motor speech control in children with spastic cerebral palsy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this