Novel Language Intervention

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The goal of this study is to test the effectiveness of two speech interventions designed to help minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorders learn to produce speech sounds, words, and simple phrases.

We tested the effectiveness of two speech interventions designed to help minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorders learn to produce speech sounds, words, and simple phrases.  Using noninvasive brain imaging, we sought to identify brain ‘markers’ that could (1) help predict the kinds of children who will benefit most from these interventions and (2) determine whether any changes have occurred in the brain over the course of treatment.

MRI

Assessments

Before and after treatment, each child underwent a behavioral evaluation and EEG (to measure the brain’s electrical activity) at Boston University, and speech assessments at BIDMC.  We will also included MRI scans at MGH’s Martinos Imaging Center in Charlestown. These assessments allowed us to measure each child’s progress over the course of treatment and see whether the brain changes as a result of the intervention.

Intervention

Children were randomized to either the AMMT (Auditory-Motor Mapping Training) or SRT (Speech Repetition Therapy) treatment group. After a series of pre-treatment speech assessments, children received 25 daily therapy sessions (M-F; 45 min/session) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s West Campus. Follow-up speech assessments were completed during and after treatment. Altogether, therapy sessions and assessments at BIDMC took approximately 7 weeks.

Who participated?Intervention

Children aged 5 – 12 years at the time of enrollment who:

  • had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder
  • were minimally verbal/had almost no communicative speech

What was involved?

  • Table-top and computer-based activities to assess Behavior and Language at BU,
  • Noninvasive brain imaging (EEG and MRI) to measure brain activity before and after treatment at MGH.
  • An intensive speech intervention (5 weeks; 25 sessions) plus a series of speech assessments both before and after treatment at BIDMC.