EPG treatment of a child with the Worster-Drought syndrome.
This report of a case study of an unusual child aims to set the use of electropalatography (EPG) within the wider context of general communication therapy. It concerns a child of 12 years, diagnosed as having congenital suprabulbar paresis (Worster-Drought syndrome) who presents with severe developmental dysarthria; his speech is unintelligible, with hypernasality and glottalised articulation. His baseline EPG assessment patterns show minimal tongue-to-palate contact for all lingual obstruents, although he can demonstrate some tongue movement for non-speech skills, and has a slow but near normal swallow pattern. EPG therapy was used for tongue movements, but was adversely affected by his velopharyngeal insufficiency.
D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D010244:Bulbar Palsy, Progressive / Q000151:congenital*; D002648:Child; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010159:Palate / Q000503:physiopathology; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013577:Syndrome; D014059:Tongue / Q000503:physiopathology