Effects of teaching equivalent relations between dictated words, written words, and objects on speech intelligibility in adolescents with cerebellar hypoplasia

Within these many brain structures involved in language, the cerebellum fulfill an important role in coordinating the movements responsible for speech, so that any alteration in this structure may compromise the development of oral language. Considering the planning of teaching and intervention while a factor that can alter the phenotypic expression imposed by cerebellar hypoplasia, this case study aimed to verify the effects of an teaching program (involving equivalence between dictated word, written word and object) on the intelligibility of speech in a teenager twelve year old, male gender, with cerebellar hypoplasia. The sessions were conducted in the clinical setting and with use of preference toys participant’s. The program consisted of phases of assessment, teaching, post-test and retention, on which were presented selection tasks, vocalization, writing and composition of words. During the assessment, observed a low performance in all tasks, especially in objects naming; in the course of teaching, the vocalizations were monitored, indicating a gradual improvement in speech intelligibility when the participant named objects, reaching accuracy in post-test and retention. This suggests that, for the case presented, strengthening the network of relationships between stimulus and stimuli-verbal actions promoted by teaching program, favored improvements in speech intelligibility.