title: Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.
abstract: Although up to 25% of children with autism are non-verbal, there are very few interventions that can reliably produce significant improvements in speech output. Recently, a novel intervention called Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT) has been developed, which aims to promote speech production directly by training the association between sounds and articulatory actions using intonation and bimanual motor activities. AMMT capitalizes on the inherent musical strengths of children with autism, and offers activities that they intrinsically enjoy. It also engages and potentially stimulates a network of brain regions that may be dysfunctional in autism. Here, we report an initial efficacy study to provide 'proof of concept' for AMMT. Six non-verbal children with autism participated. Prior to treatment, the children had no intelligible words. They each received 40 individual sessions of AMMT 5 times per week, over an 8-week period. Probe assessments were conducted periodically during baseline, therapy, and follow-up sessions. After therapy, all children showed significant improvements in their ability to articulate words and phrases, with generalization to items that were not practiced during therapy sessions. Because these children had no or minimal vocal output prior to treatment, the acquisition of speech sounds and word approximations through AMMT represents a critical step in expressive language development in children with autism.
authors: Music and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. cwan@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors: Catherine Y
authors: CY
authors: Wan
authors: Loes
authors: L
authors: Bazen
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Baars
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Libenson
authors: Lauryn
authors: L
authors: Zipse
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Zuk
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Norton
authors: Gottfried
authors: G
authors: Schlaug
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007808:Language Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*