Communication difficulties in children with cerebral palsy aged 2 to 5 years having language impairments at Dawn Children’s Centre, Uganda

Abstract

Cerebral palsy is a neuro- developmental condition comprising a group of permanent disorders of movement and posture that are attributed to non- progressive distances of the developing infant brain. (Pakula et al, 2009) CP has a big impact on speech and language development in children. On average receptive language is typically stronger than expressive language. Speech intelligibility is particularly low. I described the communication x-tics of children with CP in my discussion. This study sought to determine the communication difficulties in children with CP aged 2-5 years having language impairment. Since CP can affect the child’s speech, language and the general ability to communicate, it’s therefore necessary that children receive intervention services throughout their first year of life before significant delays relative to communication skills development occur General objective: To determine communication difficulties among children with cerebral palsy aged 2 to 5years having language impairments at Dawn Children’s Centre, Uganda. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study design was used involving both qualitative and quantitative methods. Continuous non-random sampling was used in collecting data using interviewer administered questionnaire and observational check list. The collected was entered and analyzed using Microsoft excel. Results: Children with CP presented with deficits in receptive-expressive language and unintelligible speech. Responding to name was stronger than task identification and recognition in receptive language skills. Most of these children were non verbal and expressed using gestures and vocalization. Speech intelligibility was low for all these children. 69.2% of the surveyed children presented with spasticity and the remaining percentage had low muscle tone. Conclusion: Receptive language is typically stronger than expressive language. Speech intelligibility is particularly low. This is because of the poor coordination of the muscles around the mouth and tongue that are needed for speech since the language centres in the brain that control speech are affected