title: Audiovisual materials are effective for enhancing the correction of articulation disorders in children with cleft palate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children with cleft palate frequently show speech disorders known as compensatory articulation. Compensatory articulation requires a prolonged period of speech intervention that should include reinforcement at home. However, frequently relatives do not know how to work with their children at home.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study whether the use of audiovisual materials especially designed for complementing speech pathology treatment in children with compensatory articulation can be effective for stimulating articulation practice at home and consequently enhancing speech normalization in children with cleft palate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-two patients with compensatory articulation were studied. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups received speech pathology treatment aimed to correct articulation placement. In addition, patients from the active group received a set of audiovisual materials to be used at home. Parents were instructed about strategies and ideas about how to use the materials with their children. Severity of compensatory articulation was compared at the onset and at the end of the speech intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the speech therapy period, the group of patients using audiovisual materials at home demonstrated significantly greater improvement in articulation, as compared with the patients receiving speech pathology treatment on - site without audiovisual supporting materials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that audiovisual materials especially designed for practicing adequate articulation placement at home can be effective for reinforcing and enhancing speech pathology treatment of patients with cleft palate and compensatory articulation.
authors.affiliation: Cleft Palate Clinic, Hospital Gea González, Mexico City, Mexico; Hablarte e Integrarte, AC, Mexico City, Mexico; Mexican Medical Advisor Council of Smile Train, Mexico. Electronic address: macamenpamplona@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: María Del Carmen
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pamplona
authors.affiliation: Ian Jackson Craniofacial and Cleft Palate Clinic, Neuroscience Program, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI, USA. Electronic address: antonio.ysunza@beaumont.edu.
authors.forename: Pablo Antonio
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ysunza
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University, Psychology Department, USA. Electronic address: Sum260@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morales
mesh_terms: D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013060:Speech; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Cleft palate; Speech; Speech pathology; Therapy