Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.

Although up to 25% of children with autism are non-verbal, there are very few interventions that can reliably produce significant improvements in speech output. Recently, a novel intervention called Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT) has been developed, which aims to promote speech production di...

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Main Authors: Catherine Y Wan, Loes Bazen, Rebecca Baars, Amanda Libenson, Lauryn Zipse, Jennifer Zuk, Andrea Norton, Gottfried Schlaug
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2011-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3183050?pdf=render
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author Catherine Y Wan
Loes Bazen
Rebecca Baars
Amanda Libenson
Lauryn Zipse
Jennifer Zuk
Andrea Norton
Gottfried Schlaug
author_facet Catherine Y Wan
Loes Bazen
Rebecca Baars
Amanda Libenson
Lauryn Zipse
Jennifer Zuk
Andrea Norton
Gottfried Schlaug
author_sort Catherine Y Wan
collection DOAJ
description Although up to 25% of children with autism are non-verbal, there are very few interventions that can reliably produce significant improvements in speech output. Recently, a novel intervention called Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT) has been developed, which aims to promote speech production directly by training the association between sounds and articulatory actions using intonation and bimanual motor activities. AMMT capitalizes on the inherent musical strengths of children with autism, and offers activities that they intrinsically enjoy. It also engages and potentially stimulates a network of brain regions that may be dysfunctional in autism. Here, we report an initial efficacy study to provide 'proof of concept' for AMMT. Six non-verbal children with autism participated. Prior to treatment, the children had no intelligible words. They each received 40 individual sessions of AMMT 5 times per week, over an 8-week period. Probe assessments were conducted periodically during baseline, therapy, and follow-up sessions. After therapy, all children showed significant improvements in their ability to articulate words and phrases, with generalization to items that were not practiced during therapy sessions. Because these children had no or minimal vocal output prior to treatment, the acquisition of speech sounds and word approximations through AMMT represents a critical step in expressive language development in children with autism.
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spelling doaj.art-65d279f0b3ff4c5fa06090f518c01d212022-12-22T01:31:30ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-0169e2550510.1371/journal.pone.0025505Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.Catherine Y WanLoes BazenRebecca BaarsAmanda LibensonLauryn ZipseJennifer ZukAndrea NortonGottfried SchlaugAlthough up to 25% of children with autism are non-verbal, there are very few interventions that can reliably produce significant improvements in speech output. Recently, a novel intervention called Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT) has been developed, which aims to promote speech production directly by training the association between sounds and articulatory actions using intonation and bimanual motor activities. AMMT capitalizes on the inherent musical strengths of children with autism, and offers activities that they intrinsically enjoy. It also engages and potentially stimulates a network of brain regions that may be dysfunctional in autism. Here, we report an initial efficacy study to provide 'proof of concept' for AMMT. Six non-verbal children with autism participated. Prior to treatment, the children had no intelligible words. They each received 40 individual sessions of AMMT 5 times per week, over an 8-week period. Probe assessments were conducted periodically during baseline, therapy, and follow-up sessions. After therapy, all children showed significant improvements in their ability to articulate words and phrases, with generalization to items that were not practiced during therapy sessions. Because these children had no or minimal vocal output prior to treatment, the acquisition of speech sounds and word approximations through AMMT represents a critical step in expressive language development in children with autism.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3183050?pdf=render
spellingShingle Catherine Y Wan
Loes Bazen
Rebecca Baars
Amanda Libenson
Lauryn Zipse
Jennifer Zuk
Andrea Norton
Gottfried Schlaug
Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.
PLoS ONE
title Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.
title_full Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.
title_fullStr Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.
title_full_unstemmed Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.
title_short Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study.
title_sort auditory motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non verbal children with autism a proof of concept study
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3183050?pdf=render
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