THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CYCLES PHONOLOGICAL INTERVENTION FOR REMEDIATING PHONOLOGICAL ERRORS IN THE SPEECH OF A PRE-SCHOOL AGE CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The phonological errors occurring in the speech of pre-school and school age children with Down syndrome affect their speech production and reduces their speech intelligibility. Therefore, early phonology-based intervention is needed to overcome the phonological problems and increase speech clarity. Speech language therapists have a wide range of intervention models that could be tailored to the needs of children with Down syndrome. Yet the effectiveness of these models in treating phonological errors have been continuously tested. The present case study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of the cycles phonological remediation approach to treat the phonological processes prevailing the speech of a pre-school age child with a Down syndrome. The study presented a thorough pre- and post-speech assessment analysis of the child’s speech sample. Accordingly, two primary patterns were selected to be targeted within the treatment cycle. Post-treatment improvement in child's speech intelligibility was indicated after treatment completion.