This project is Phase I in research to determine the efficacy of a set of handheld prostheses in improving intelligibility during speech rehabilitation. The prostheses are designed to facilitate oral contacts required for bilabial, linguo-alveolar and/or linguo-velar phonemes. The devices were developed to treat patients with lingual and labial deficits, including dysarthria secondary to stroke or head trauma and, following laryngectomy, sufficient air injection capacity for esochogeal speech. Using the devices, 15 patients with stroke or head trauma and 5 laryngectomized patient will be treated for 20 double sessions. Criteria for selection include significant intelligibility deficits after stabilization during speech rehabilitation. Standard tests of intelligibility will be administered at intake, mid, and endpoints. Dimensions of air injection capacity will be assessed by oscillographic tracings. Scoring will be blind; the significance of score changes will be tested. Significant findings will lead to a case/control study where treated cases will use the devices early in rehabilitation. The expectation is for more successful and cost-effective rehabilitation. Positive findings will justify mass production of the devices. The potential market includes 42,000 Speech-Language Pathologists and 285,000 patients.
