Clinical manifestations of the functional phonological disorders and curative effect of the phonological treatment

doi:10.3321/j.issn:1673-8225.2004.34.012

Abstract：BACKGROUND: As the most frequently occurring speech disorder in preschool and school-age children, the functional phonological disorders affect daily communication, mental development and the study of those suffeting from them. Even the routine work and social activities are affected in adults. So it is of great importance to assess the speech function and to adopt phonological treatment for those suffering from the functional phonological disorders.OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and rehabilitation treatment methods for functional phonological disorders.DESIGN: A case analysis study.SETTING: The research was carried out in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University.PARTICIPANTS: There were 25 patients with functional phonological disorders(15 cases were children of 4 - 11 years old and 10 cases were adults of 17 -25 years old), who were treated in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University.METHODS: The 25 patients were assessed and treated. The curative effect of the phonological treatment was compared between children and adults.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① The clinical characteristics of functional phonological disorders. ② The cure rate of phonological treatment in children and adults. ③ The curative times of the phonological treatment.RESULTS: Phonological examinations showed that both children' s and adults' error patterns mainly were distortion and substitution. The main wrong sounds included such sounds as dental, blade-palatal, velar, lingual, and apical. Results showed that there was no statistical difference in the average number of mistaken sounds between children and adults( P = 0. 910 0). The mean time of getting the correct articulation of each target sound in children was longer th an that in adults ( P = 0. 003), but the mean time of using the target sound proficiently in the communication of daily living was shorter in children than in adults( P = 0. 008). After phonological treatment, 12 of 15children got correct articulations and three part articulations. Nine of 10adults got correct articulations and one case lost contact in follow-up after part of the sounds were improved.CONCLUSION: There were few differences in the clinical characteristics of functional phonological disorders between children and adults as they all were distortion and substitution. The curative effect of the phonological treatment was satisfactory, but the timing of starting treatment must be appropriate, and it is not that the earlier the better.