Therapy for Respiration and Vocalization of Cerebral Palsy: Athetoid quadriplegia

Abstract

: A cerebral palsied child (athetoid quadriplegia, 9Y9M) with respiration and vocalization problems had been applied the techniques of psychological rehabilitation (’83.6. ~’84. 4.) and Bobath approach (’84.5. ~’85.12.) to improve her problems. Results were as follows: 1) Using the psychological rehabilitation techniques made it possible to prolong her [a:] phonation time from 0.12 sec. to 0.61 sec. and her respiration patterns to be better. Severly fructuated extension patterns appeared in her speech posture, although tonic and total extension patterns were improved in her speech posture. As her [a:] phonation time became longer, these extension patterns were more remarkable. 2) By the Bobath approach techniques, her [a:] phonation time was more prolonged from 0.61 sec. to 2.70 sec., and her respiration patterns were more improved. In her speech posture, the extension patterns were decreased and modified to fructuated patterns that moved alternately from right to left on the midline. By both techniques, her respiration and vocalization were improved. But I discussed that the Bobath approach is more effective to improve the respiration of cerebral palsy, because we train at the same time to improve the postural tone, to increase the stability of neck and trunk, and to facilitate the development separated movement of respiration and vocalization. © 1986, The Japan Society of Logopedics and Phoniatrics. All rights reserved.