Telepractice-based articulation therapy for children with cleft lip and palate: a clinical study using the Application for Articulation Therapy-Thai.

Background: Compensatory articulation disorders are the most common issues among children with cleft palates with or without cleft lips (CP ± L). To improve their speech, these children typically require consistent, long-term speech therapy. During situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic or similar epidemics that necessitate social distancing, speech therapy becomes particularly challenging. Telemedicine or telepractice could serve as a strategy to facilitate speech therapy under these conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of telepractice using an application for articulation therapy in improving the percentage of correct consonants (PCC).

Methods: Eighteen children with CP ± L (aged 5-13 years) were enrolled in a therapy program lasting 5 months. The Thai Speech Parameters for Patients with Cleft Palate in a Universal Reporting System test was administered to assess PCC before and after therapy. A total of 20 speech therapy sessions, comprising 15 telepractice sessions and five face-to-face sessions, were delivered using the Application for Articulation Therapy-Thai (AAT-T). The paired t-test was used to compare mean differences (MDs) in PCC scores before and after intervention.

Results: Post-intervention analysis demonstrated significant increases in mean PCC scores at both word and sentence levels (word level: MD, 17.20; standard deviation [SD], 17.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.56-25.83; sentence level: MD, 20.90; SD, 16.51; 95% CI, 12.69-29.11). These results indicate meaningful improvements in speech production accuracy.

Conclusion: Telepractice using the AAT-T was an effective strategy for articulation therapy in children with CP ± L, particularly in situations requiring social distancing.