Simplified Ultrasound Feedback for Speech Remediation

Description

Recent research in motor control shows that people learn new movements best when they receive feedback external to the body. Traditional ultrasound speech therapy works well for many children, but involves teaching children to focus on their internal tongue movements. The goal of the study is to test whether ultrasound biofeedback delivered without showing children a display of their tongue movements will be effective as a treatment for residual speech sound disorders in children. We focus on children who have trouble producing the sound "r" as in "rabbit". The first aim is to develop a fast reliable system to track movements of different parts of the tongue using ultrasound and to identify which combinations of movements will produce a good "r" and which do not. The second aim is to develop a motivational game in which children receive feedback on the success of their tongue movements by what happens to an animated character on a screen. This developed version of ultrasound feedback therapy will be compared to the traditional version of ultrasound feedback therapy to determine how the two approaches can best be utilized in the clinic.

Conditions

Speech Sound Disorder

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Recent research in motor control shows that people learn new movements best when they receive feedback external to the body. Traditional ultrasound speech therapy works well for many children, but involves teaching children to focus on their internal tongue movements. The goal of the study is to test whether ultrasound biofeedback delivered without showing children a display of their tongue movements will be effective as a treatment for residual speech sound disorders in children. We focus on children who have trouble producing the sound "r" as in "rabbit". The first aim is to develop a fast reliable system to track movements of different parts of the tongue using ultrasound and to identify which combinations of movements will produce a good "r" and which do not. The second aim is to develop a motivational game in which children receive feedback on the success of their tongue movements by what happens to an animated character on a screen. This developed version of ultrasound feedback therapy will be compared to the traditional version of ultrasound feedback therapy to determine how the two approaches can best be utilized in the clinic.

Simplified Ultrasound Feedback for Speech Remediation

Simplified Ultrasound Feedback for Speech Remediation

Condition
Speech Sound Disorder
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45220

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Difficulty producing "r" (American English rhotic, ex. first sound in "ray" or last sound in "or"), scoring less than 20% accuracy on 70 word probe
  • * Speaks American English fluently
  • * Between ages of 7 and 17 years old
  • * Does not pass hearing screening

Ages Eligible for Study

7 Years to 17 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Cincinnati,

Suzanne E Boyce, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Cincinnati

Study Record Dates

2025-08