Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that impact muscle coordination and body movement. Each child with CP is affected differently, though every child has challenges with motor skills and physical development. These challenges often encompass a range of speech difficulties.
CP can impact a child’s ability to articulate clearly, form words, control the pitch and tone of their voice, and effectively express their thoughts and emotions. Additionally, it may influence their social communication skills, making interaction and connection with others more complex. In this article, we’ll discuss why Speech Therapy is crucial for kids with CP, and how it can help.
Understanding Speech Challenges in Cerebral Palsy
There are four main types of CP, and each can have a different impact on speech and communication.
1 – Spastic Cerebral Palsy
This is the most common type of CP and is characterized by increased muscle tone, leading to stiffness in the muscles. This heightened muscle tone can affect various parts of the body, impacting movement and coordination.
Effect on Speech: Stiffness can affect the muscles involved in speech, leading to difficulties in articulation and precision. Children with Spastic CP may struggle with clear pronunciation and maintaining a steady flow of speech.
2 – Dyskinetic (Athetoid) Cerebral Palsy
This type of CP is characterized by involuntary and uncontrolled movements. In Dyskinetic CP, muscle tone can be both too tight and too loose, switching from day to day and even within a single day. Effect on Speech: Dyskinetic CP involves involuntary and uncontrolled movements, impacting both fine and gross motor skills. Speech difficulties often stem from uncontrolled movements affecting the muscles involved in speech production. This can result in challenges such as inconsistent speech patterns, fluctuations in pitch, and difficulty controlling the tongue and vocal cords.
3 – Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
Ataxic CP is characterized by difficulties with coordination, balance, and fine motor skills. Children with this form of CP often have shaky movement.
Effect on Speech: Ataxic CP primarily affects balance and coordination. Children with Ataxic CP may have trouble coordinating their muscles, leading to difficulties in controlling the pitch, volume, rhythm, and rate of speech.
4 – Mixed Cerebral Palsy
Mixed CP is when a child has a combination of two or more types. This means that the person experiences a combination of symptoms associated with Spastic, Dyskinetic, and Ataxic CP.
Effect on Speech: Mixed CP can result in any combination of the challenges listed above.
The Role of Motor Control in Speech Development
Speech is a complex motor skill that requires the precise coordination of various muscles, including those in the face, mouth, tongue, and respiratory system. If you don’t have speech difficulties, you probably never considered how important motor control is. For example, when you say “Hello” to someone, you probably aren’t thinking about the precise coordination of muscles and structures that are working together to produce that word.
This intricate coordination is challenging for children with CP, and can impact articulation, coordination, fluency, and even non-verbal communication.
Articulation
At the core of speech lies articulation—the precise movement and coordination of muscles involved in forming sounds. For those with CP, challenges in motor control can manifest as difficulties in achieving the intricate movements needed for clear articulation. This may result in speech that is less precise or difficult to understand.
Coordination in Vocalization
Imagine the seamless coordination required for vocalization—pitch, tone, rhythm—all working harmoniously. Children with CP may encounter hurdles in coordinating these elements due to motor control issues. This can lead to variations in pitch, inconsistent volume, and challenges in maintaining a steady rhythm while speaking.
Impact on Fluency
Speech fluency involves the smooth flow of words and phrases. Motor control difficulties can disrupt this flow, leading to interruptions, hesitations, or repetitions in speech. Understanding the connection between motor control and fluency is key to addressing and supporting children with CP.
The Art of Non-Verbal Communication
Beyond spoken words, motor control also influences non-verbal communication. Facial expressions, gestures, and body language all play crucial roles in conveying emotions and intentions.
The Importance of Early Intervention
Up to 75% of children with CP face speech and communication challenges, yet many do not begin speech therapy until their preschool years, when the delays in speech become more apparent. Early signs that your child with CP may benefit from speech therapy can include delays in speech milestones:
- No use of voice or vocal play by 4-6 months
- No babbling by 8 months (“dada”, “mama”, “baba”)
- Does not speak at least 15 words by 18 months
- Does not use two-word sentences by age 2
- Persistent drooling or very unclear speech by 3
The goals of speech therapy for children with CP are tailored to the individual needs of each child. Through targeted interventions, children with CP can experience improved articulation, enhanced communication abilities, and a boost in confidence.
Speech Therapy Methods for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Speech therapists customize their approaches to align with the unique strengths and challenges of each child. For those with limited speech capabilities, therapists may introduce Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) techniques. AAC provides alternative avenues for expression when verbal communication poses challenges. This innovative approach empowers children with CP to articulate their thoughts and emotions effectively.
Articulation and phonological therapy can address the specific sounds and patterns of speech. Oral motor exercises can enhance the strength and coordination of the muscles involved in speech production and swallowing. These exercises encompass a range of activities targeting the lips, tongue, cheeks, jaw, and swallowing, along with sensory input exercises.
Benefits of Speech Therapy for Children with Cerebral Palsy
The main benefit of speech therapy is improved communication, whether that communication is vocal, non-verbal, or through an AAC. When it comes to vocal skills, speech therapy helps to improve articulation and intelligibility (how well others can understand you). Enhanced social communication empowers children to engage effectively with their peers and surroundings. This leads to higher confidence, self-esteem, and self-assurance!
Fun and Engaging Speech Activities to Do at Home
It’s easy to supplement what your child is learning in speech therapy with some simple at-home activities. Check out these fun ideas to amp up your child’s speech development!
- Mirror Mimicry
Sit in front of a mirror with your child. Make exaggerated facial expressions and practice different mouth movements. Imitate each other’s sounds and facial gestures.
- Blowing Bubbles
Blow bubbles together, or give your child a whistle or noisemaker to blow on. This strengthens their mouth muscles. There are also candle apps you can download where your child blows out a “digital candle” on your phone!
- Word Flashcards
Make a game out of word flashcards. Find flashcards that have the same starting sound, such as “ball” and “baby”, or words that go together, like “socks” and “shoes”.
- Animal Imitation
Read books or watch YouTube videos about animals. Then try to imitate the sounds each animal makes together!
- Playing with Stuffed Animals
Have a tea party or play session with all of your child’s stuffed animals. Let your child pick which voice each animal will have!
The Westside Way
Westside Children’s Therapy provides pediatric therapy services for children ages 0 to 18 years old. We have extensive experience working with amazing children who have Cerebral Palsy. If you are interested in learning more about our services, please click the link below or call us at (815) 469-1500 and our team will walk you through the process.
