Making Intensive Voice Treatment (LSVT® LOUD) Accessible for a Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Mixed Dysarthria Using a Novel, Pre-Treatment Protocol - Abstract
Although motor speech disorders (dysarthria, apraxia) are not currently considered core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), reviews of clinical reports reveal a significant prevalence of these disorders among children with ASD. This report examines implementation of LSVT® LOUD, an established intensive treatment protocol developed originally for individuals with hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson’s disease and recently successfully applied to children, in the treatment of a child with dysarthria and ASD. Because this child was initially deemed unstimulable for intensive treatment, a novel pre-treatment protocol was implemented. Following the pre-treatment protocol, outcomes resulted in significant immediate and long-term gains in multiple parameters of functional communication. This report supports consideration of a pre-treatment protocol before intensive interventions such as LSVT LOUD.