Speech and Language Therapy to Improve the Communication Skills of Children With Cerebral Palsy
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Pennington, L., Goldbart, J., et al. (2003).
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, CD003466.
<div>This systematic review compares the effect of speech and language interventions to no intervention on communication skills in children, younger than 20-years-old, with any communication disorder associated with cerebral palsy (e.g., dysarthria, dyspraxia, ataxia).</div>
The Cochrane Collaboration; Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (United Kingdom); National Institute for Health Research (United Kingdom)
<p>This systematic review was reviewed with the following supporting documents:</p>
<ul>
<li>Pennington, L., Goldbart, J., et al. (2004). Interaction Training for Conversational Partners of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review. <i>International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 39</i>(2), 151-170. doi:10.1080/13682820310001625598</li>
<li>Pennington, L., Goldbart, J., et al. (2005). Direct Speech and Language Therapy for Children with Cerebral Palsy: Findings from a Systematic Review. <i>Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 47</i>(1), 57-63. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.2005.tb01041.x</li>
</ul>
From 1966 to 2002
<div>Controlled intervention studies, including group experimental designs and single case experimental designs</div>
12
<div>While speech and language therapy appears to improve communication skills, further research is warranted at this time.</div>
<div>"It is not possible to conclude at the present time that speech and language therapy focusing on children with cerebral palsy or their communication partners is more effective than no intervention at all. However, no evidence has been found of any harmful effects of speech and language therapy for children with cerebral palsy and their families, and therapy has not been shown to be ineffective" (p. 12).</div>
<div>"Firm evidence of the positive effects of [speech and language therapy] SLT for children with cerebral palsy has not been demonstrated; ... however, positive trends in communication change were shown" (p. 2).</div>
