Sydney Hayes, M.A., CCC-SLP
Ph.D. Student
Wisconsin Intelligibility, Speech, and Communication (WISC) Laboratory
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Waisman Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Examining the Longitudinal Relationship Between Speech Motor and Gross Motor Severity in Children Between 4 and 14 Years with Cerebral Palsy
While motor impairment is the primary diagnostic criteria for Cerebral Palsy, the majority of children with cerebral palsy also present with comorbid speech and communication impairments. A range of classification tools have been developed to describe functional motor abilities in children with Cerebral Palsy, including gross motor, fine motor, and speech motor domains. Research has indicated a significant relationship between overall communication skills and gross motor development. However, the longitudinal relationship between speech motor and gross motor development specifically has yet to be explored. Using the Viking Speech Scale, a measure of speech motor impairment, and the Gross Motor Function Classification Scale, a measure of gross motor impairment, this study investigated the longitudinal relationship between gross motor and speech motor severity in children with CP as well as the nature and direction of this change over time. Results of this study such as the patterns of growth identified across these two domains, considerations for different speech and motor severity levels, and implications for clinical practice will be discussed.
This work was funded by grant R01DC009411 from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and the Waisman Center Core Grant P50HD105353 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health.