title: An evaluation of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in the treatment of hypernasality following traumatic brain injury: a report of 3 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in the treatment of hypernasality following traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  An A-B-A experimental research design. Assessments were conducted prior to commencement of the program, midway, immediately posttreatment, and 1 month after completion of the CPAP therapy program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three adults with dysarthria and moderate to severe hypernasality subsequent to TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Perceptual evaluation using the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, the Assessment of Intelligibility of Dysarthric Speech, and a speech sample analysis, and instrumental evaluation using the Nasometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between assessment periods, varying degrees of improvement in hypernasality and sentence intelligibility were noted. At the 1-month post-CPAP assessment, all 3 participants demonstrated reduced nasalance values, and 2 exhibited increased sentence intelligibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CPAP may be a valuable treatment of impaired velopharyngeal function in the TBI population.
authors.affiliation: The Division of Speech Pathology, University of Queensland and Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia. L.Cahill@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cahill
authors.forename: Aimee B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Penelope A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Stabler
authors.forename: Paula E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Addis
authors.forename: Deborah G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Theodoros
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Murdoch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*