Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Lexical Gain in Children With Down Syndrome

University of Sao Paulo

Status: Completed

Conditions: Down Syndrome

Treatments: Behavioral: speech-language therapy with AAC intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00689988

05/1149

Details and patient eligibility

About

Children with Down syndrome (DS) have language development particularities that have negative effects in the communication capacity. By this way, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is indicated to this population. The aim of this study was to verify the AAC impact in the lexical gain of children with DS.

Full description

Five children with DS, with the same cognitive level, participated in this study. Longitudinal follow-up of twelve months of speech-language therapy with AAC use was undertaken. A lexical evaluation was done at the beginning and the end of this follow-up. Correct responses in the lexical evaluation were increased, but not necessarily in the spoken modality. The comparisons showed significant results in use of substitutions processes, and to no-answers.

Enrollment: 5 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 11 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• genetic diagnosis of Down syndrome
• be at the preoperational period
• good health conditions
• expressive language impairment (communication by vocal and gestures, predominantly)

Exclusion criteria

• presence of major malformations
• presence of another genetic syndrome
• severe neonatal asphyxia, hearing impairment or visual

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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5 participants in 1 patient group

SG

Experimental group

Description:

Study Group: five children with Down syndrome submitted to speech-language intervention with AAC intervention

Treatment:

Behavioral: speech-language therapy with AAC intervention