Speech Treatment for Minimally Verbal Children With ASD and CAS

NCT05066178 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2021P002598
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Comorbid Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) may be one factor that limits speech development in some minimally verbal children with autism. CAS is a disorder affecting speech movement planning. This study tests whether CAS-specific treatment, appropriately modified for minimally verbal children with autism, improves their speech.

Conditions

Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia; Autism Spectrum Disorder

Keywords

childhood apraxia of speech; autism; motor speech disorder; speech development

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Attempts Correct

  Number or percent of target items that were produced correctly

  5 weeks

• Phonemes Correct

  Number or percent of phonemes (vowels, consonants) in the target items that were produced correctly

  5 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Lip aperture movement variability

  5 weeks

• Phoneme distinctiveness

  5 weeks

Study Arms (1)

CAS Treatment for MV ASD

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive CAS treatment, modified for minimally verbal children with autism

Behavioral: CAS Treatment for Minimally Verbal Children with Autism

Interventions

CAS Treatment for Minimally Verbal Children with Autism BEHAVIORAL

Treatment involves principles of motor learning embedded in a naturalistic developmental milieu

CAS Treatment for MV ASD

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 18 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Meets criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Able to correctly repeat at least 2 syllables
• Meets criteria for Childhood Apraxia of Speech
• Lives in an environment where child is exposed to English at least 50% of the time

You may not qualify if:

• Poorly controlled seizures
• Factors such as blindness or deafness that contribute to minimally verbal status
• Lives in an environment where English is not spoken at least 50% of the time
• Child experiences behavioral challenges that preclude participation in the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• MGH Institute of Health Professions: lead

Study Sites (1)

MGH Institute of Health Professions

Boston, Massachusetts, 02129, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Apraxias; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Psychomotor Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Central Study Contacts

Karen V Chenausky, Ph.D.

CONTACT

617-726-2405; kvchenausky@mghihp.edu

Michael Moody

CONTACT

617-643-4658; mjmoody@partners.org

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Outcome assessor will be blinded to participant session
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: Multiple-baseline single-case design

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 16, 2021
• First Posted: October 4, 2021
• Study Start: May 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2030
• Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)