The Effectiveness of an Intensive Training Program on ORAL Productions on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background:  The development of speech in children with autism spectrum disorder is one of the top parental priorities and expectations. This development is not always predictable, being variable from child to child. Addressing this issue, it was developed an Intensive Training Program that integrates speech therapists that work on a daily or three times a week regimen this particular area of development. The aim of this study was to analyze, as a proof of principle, the evolution of portuguese phonemes productions of two children after the intensive training program.

Objectives:  This study is descriptive and exploratory, based on two case studies of four years old male children, diagnosed with grade three autism.

Methods: They attended the intensive training for six months, one of them on a daily regimen and the other one three times a week, with four hours sessions. Quantitative data was collected by filling an evaluation table containing all portuguese phonemes that classified the productions based on their acquisition level. The evaluation was performed in a passive fashion, without interference in children’s activities. The program took place in a structured environment after giving informed consent by children’s parents. .

Results:  the quantitative results showed an increase in verbal production in both cases. Regarding the types of vocalizations, there was a significant decrease of the stereotyped productions and an increase of the emerging productions. In recent months, the results showed that the children were starting to do specific productions after the therapists models. The results also showed significant differences between the two children, as it was noted a greater change in the case submitted to a daily training.

Conclusions:  Future research should continue to focus on the influence of an intensive training in the development of speech and its communication functionality. It would also be important to compare different groups of children, one submitted to the program and the other submitted to weekly therapies.