ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of speech imagery therapy combined with traditional dysarthria training on dysarthria in children with cerebral palsy. MethodsFrom August to December, 2022, 21 children with cerebral palsy combined with dysarthria in Wuhu Fifth People's Hospital were randomly divided into three groups A, B and C. Group A was given traditional dysarthria training for 30 minutes everytime, group B was given implantable speech imagery combined with traditional dysarthria training for 40 minutes everytime, and group C was given additional speech imagery combined with traditional dysarthria training for 40 minutes everytime, five days a week, for three weeks. Articulation and Phonology Assessment Scale, Mouth Sensory-Motor Assessment Scale, and mandibular distance, tongue distance and vowel space area (VSA) were evaluated before and after treatment. ResultsThere was no significant difference in all the indexes among three groups before treatment (F < 1.247, P > 0.05). After treatment, the scores of phonological function and sensory-motor assessment scale increased (|t| > 2.575, P < 0.05), and the mandibular distance and VSA increased in groups A and B (|t| > 2.632, P < 0.05). The d-value of phonological function before and after treatment was more in groups B and C than in group A (P < 0.05), and no difference was found in the d-value of other indexes before and after treatment among three groups (P > 0.05). ConclusionBoth speech imagery therapies are effective in improving diction clarity, oral range of motion, and motion control ability in children with cerebral palsy, and are more effective in improving articulatory clarity than traditional speech-language training.