As a PROMPT© Bridging trained speech and language pathologist I would like to address how Prompt© therapy help children with Apraxia. The PROMPT© therapy is simply a deep understanding of how human motor, cognitive, social and language systems work within a human being and the ability of the clinician to translate that understanding to the client.
EVGENIA STEFANAKI, SLP, Owner & Director of All For Speech Center
PROMPT therapy is...
A language–based treatment approach that provides tactile-kinesthetic information to oral musculature (jaw, lips, tongue) to guide the child’s movements for speech production. There is a PROMPT for every sound in the language, vowel or consonant, and four different types of PROMPTs that serve different purposes in teaching single or combined movements for speech production. It is a treatment method based a substantial body of research in the areas of motor learning, cognition and social development.
How PROMPT is different from traditional speech therapy...
"Traditional" speech language therapy relies on auditory and visual systems to provide information about sound production. PROMPT therapy adds another dimension to the process of learning to talk, which is information provided by the "tactual system". Sensory feedback from movements is stored and feeds forward as the child is provided multiple opportunities for practice. Muscle memory builds, and movement patterns for speech become more and more automatic.
Children who benefit from PROMPT therapy are children with motor speech disorders:
- Sensory processing/motor planning deficits
- Childhood Apraxia of Speech
- Dysarthria
- Low Muscle Tone (non–neurologic diagnosis)
- Articulation and Phonological Disorders with an underlying motor component
And children having motor speech disorders in association with:
- Hearing Impairment
- Pervasive Developmental Disorders
- Cerebral Palsy
- Neurogenic disorders (seizure disorder, stroke/CVA, disease)
- Genetic syndromes (Down’s Syndrome, Lowe Syndrome)
Reasons for the clinical success of PROMPT therapy are numerous:
- Emphasis is placed on feedback, which is known to be an important aspect of treatment in children with motor disorders. In PROMPT therapy, children receive tactile-kinesthetic as well as auditory feedback, which are the two most important sensory systems for learning to talk.
- Emphasis is placed on trust and motivation, which are so important in helping children with motor processing deficits to take maintain the attention and effort required to make changes in speech production.
- Words and word combinations selected are practiced in many varied interactions, both in therapy and in the child’s natural environment, building muscle memory and motor planning skills.
- Successful social interactions are developed in therapy sessions, helping children who may have difficulty with joint attention and turn-taking to establish a firm basis for communication.
Effectiveness of PROMPT
When clients are treated by a skilled PROMPT© therapist, the changes will reflect the maximum potential possible for that client. With each person, depending on their motor system’s potential, environment, etc., they will gain more functional use of their speech. Some clients have gone from almost no speech to almost normal communication ability; others have only been able to achieve simple words or phrases. Each client has felt proud of their accomplishments and has been enabled in their broader communication environments. Their sense of self has always increased as has their awareness of “what is possible” versus ” what may not be possible”. The PROMPT© is simply a deep understanding of how human motor, cognitive, social and language systems work within a human being and the ability of the clinician to translate that understanding to the client.
Evgenia Stefanaki, SLP, OM, has the private practice "All for Speech Center" in Nicosia and is a nationally certified and licensed Speech & Language Pathologist. She is also PROMPT© Bridging trained and holds specializations in childhood apraxia of speech & orofacial myofunctional therapy. She writes on the blog about speech & language disorders and orofacial disorders.