Children's Speech - second edition

Today Elise and I met to continue working on the second edition of Children's Speech - to be published by Oxford University Press.

 

Updating Children's Speech (2nd edition) - Effectiveness of orofacial myofunctional therapy for speech sound disorders in children: A systematic review

I was interested to read this paper as it informs what we write in the intervention chapters of the second edition of our Children's Speech book (McLeod & Baker)

Merkel-Walsh, R., Carey, D., Burnside, A., Grime, D., Turkich, D., Tseng, R. J., & Smart, S. (2025). Effectiveness of orofacial myofunctional therapy for speech sound disorders in children: A systematic review. International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy, 51(1), 4. https://www.mdpi.com/2694-2526/51/1/4 

Here is the key takeaway "Findings from high quality studies showed no improvement to speech that could be directly attributed to OMT, and lower quality studies yielded mixed results. This review found no conclusive evidence supporting the use of OMT as a standalone treatment for the effective remediation of SSDs."

Here is the full abstract

Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is an intervention approach used to remediate orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs). OMDs are abnormal patterns involving the oral and orofacial musculature that can subsequently interfere with the normal growth, development, or function of orofacial structures, including speech production. Historically, articulation therapy is used to remediate speech sound disorders (SSDs). Currently, there is a dearth of literature on the use of OMT to treat non-developmental (organic) SSDs in children. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the effectiveness of OMT in treating organic SSDs in children and adolescents between 4 and 18 years of age. A search of five electronic databases (ProQuest, Scopus, Ovid, CINAHL, and Embase) was conducted, including backward (identifying and reviewing references from earlier studies from sources) and forward searching (reviewing newer studies that have cited a source). Only primary research including OMT with post-treatment outcome measures for speech production were included. Thirteen studies were reviewed, including a total of 397 participants between 4 and 17 years of age. A range of study designs, diagnoses, and intervention approaches were discussed. Studies yielded mixed results on the effectiveness of OMT to treat organic SSDs. OMT alone, and in combination with articulation therapy, was not found to be more effective than articulation therapy alone. The methodological quality of the studies ranged from limited to strong. Findings from high quality studies showed no improvement to speech that could be directly attributed to OMT, and lower quality studies yielded mixed results. This review found no conclusive evidence supporting the use of OMT as a standalone treatment for the effective remediation of SSDs. This is attributed to significant variability in speech outcomes, small sample sizes, limited comparison groups, diverse participant diagnoses, and inconsistent methodologies and treatment protocols, yielding mixed results. In addition, while the term OMT was used in the papers to designate treatment methodology, an analysis of the exercise descriptions revealed that some reported OMT exercises were non-speech oral motor exercises (NSOMEs) and oral motor therapies. Overall, many of the techniques utilized across studies did not provide speech-like movements in their therapeutic interventions based on their description. Finally, traditional articulation therapy, including speech drills to work on articulation disorders, was not included in many of the included studies. SLPs using OMT as a modality would typically combine this with articulation practice to treat the SSD. This study highlights the need for robust future studies including prospective cohort studies to compare OMT, combined OMT and articulation therapy, and articulation therapy alone to provide clearer guidance for future clinical practice.

Working on the second edition of Children's Speech

This evening Prof Elise Baker and I continued our work on the second edition of our book Children's Speech. This edition will be published by Oxford University Press. So much has happened since the first edition was published in 2017 - there is a lot to update.

Speech and language therapists' insights into severity of speech sound disorders in children for developing the Speech Sound Disorder Severity Construct

Congratulations to Anniek Van Doornik, my PhD student at Utrecht University in The Netherlands, who has just had this paper from her PhD accepted for publication:

Van Doornik, A., Welbie, M., McLeod, S., & Gerrits, E., Terband, H. (2025, in press). Speech and language therapists' insights into severity of speech sound disorders in children for developing the Speech Sound Disorder Severity Construct. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders.

Abstract
Background: Children with speech sound disorders (SSD) are at higher risk of communication breakdown, but the impact of having an SSD may vary from child to child. Determining severity of SSD helps SLTs to recognise the extent of the problem and to identify and prioritise children who require intervention.
Aims: This study aimed to identify severity factors for SSD in order to develop a multifactorial Speech Sound Disorder Severity Construct (SSDSC) using speech-language therapists’ (SLTs’) views and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
Method: In an explorative five-staged qualitative study, the research question was answered: “How do SLTs determine the severity of speech sound disorders in children?”. A total of 91 SLTs from the Netherlands participated in data collection and analysis. The iterative process included three different qualitative research methodologies (thematic analysis, constructivist grounded theory and content analysis) to ensure validation of the results by means of method triangulation.
Results: SLTs considered 9 themes: intelligibility, speech accuracy, persistence, the child’s perception, impact, communicative participation, concomitant factors, professional point of view, and environmental factors. The themes were summarised in three main severity factors: (I) Speech accuracy, (II) The child’s perception of the impact of their speech, and (III) Intelligibility in communication. Other severity factors were concomitant factors and impact. Expertise and support were identified as facilitators or barriers that may worsen or relieve the severity of SSD.
Conclusions: This study highlights the need for SLTs to rethink how they think about severity as a simplistic construct reflecting only speech accuracy. It is recommended that a broader holistic approach to measuring severity is adopted.

What this paper adds:
What is already known on the subject
Although there are several proposals aiming to define the severity of SSD, the extent to which these align with clinical practice is not well understood. In recent years, speech accuracy and other factors such as intelligibility have been suggested as possible indicators of SSD severity. Flipsen et al (2005) concluded that experienced clinicians evaluated the number, type and consistency of speech errors as well as intelligibility, considering articulatory competence at both the segmental and whole word level when determining severity. Enderby and John (2015) developed ICF-based Therapy Outcome Measures (TOMs), including a TOM for phonological disorder. Although there is evidence in the literature that multiple factors should be considered when determining severity, there is still no clear guidance on this. In this discussion, the perspective of SLTs is an important contribution to the development of a measure of severity, but is lacking in the known literature.  

What this paper adds to existing knowledge
As a first step, this study examines SLT’s perspectives on how they define and measure severity of SSD, and determines how those views align with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in order to develop a severity construct that can be further tested and validated. Using the views of SLTs and the ICF, this qualitative study resulted in the multifactorial Speech Sound Disorder Severity Construct (SSDSC).

What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?
The practical experience of SLTs, combined with what is known from the literature, provides insight into the different factors that may contribute to severity of SSD. These factors may be considered in developing a measure of SSD severity in the future.

Writing Children's Speech (2nd edition)

Elise Baker and I are working on the second edition of Children's Speech. A lot has happened in this field since it was published in 2017. Our second edition will be published by Oxford University Press.

Elise and Sharynne

Oxford University Press book contract

Exciting news. Oxford University Press sent the following email regarding the second edition of Chidlren's Speech:

"Good news! The Delegates approved your proposal at the meeting yesterday. Hurrah! I’m delighted we’ll be publishing the textbook, and I look forward to working with you over the next stages."

Elise Baker and I are looking forward to getting this book written and out there. A lot of people have been emailing us about the fact that the first edition is no longer available.

Teaching UTS students online about speech assessments

I had the wonderful opportunity to teach first year Masters' students from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) this week, presenting 3.5 hours of lectures on the topic of assessment of children's speech. I enjoyed meeting the students and am grateful for the chance to discuss for quality assessments when considering children's speech.

These UTS students consented to have their photographs taken to appear on my blog

I was delighted to receive this thank you card!

Free online text books during COVID-19 shutdown

Some of the books I have co-authored have been made freely available during the COVID-19 shutdown to participating universities in the US and Canada via:

• Red Shelf: https://www.about.redshelf.com/redshelfresponds
• Vital Source: https://get.vitalsource.com/vitalsource-helps 

For example,
Children's Speech: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessment and Intervention:
https://studentresponse.redshelf.com/search/?terms=0132755963

 

Additionally, the American Psychological Association Publication Manual (7th edition) is also freely available online using these platforms: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/coronavirus-response

A birthday present

A while ago, I was contacted by speech-language pathologist Rebecca Reinking because she had decided to spend her birthday money from her mother on a book to support her work with children with speech sound disorders. I was honoured that she chose "Children's Speech". Here is her recent Instagram post: https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/q5rFC81Zj6t48xQLsna23K?domain=instagram.com It brings me joy to think of the children who will be impacted by her birthday present.

Adjunct Professor at University of Technology Sydney

I have been appointed as an Adjunct Professor at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in the Graduate School of Health and the Speech Pathology program. This week I visited UTS and had the opportunity to meet the staff and masters students.
I was invited to teach the speech sound disorders class on Articulatory Foundations of Speech (based on chapter 3 of Children's Speech). What an enthusiastic and keen group of students - it was a joy to meet everyone.

UTS Speech Pathology Staff
Back: Helen Blake, Melissa Brunner, Catherine Gregory, Harmony Turnbull
Front: Lucy Bryant, Ben, Sharynne McLeod, Bronwyn Hemsley

A message from East Tennessee State University

This week we received the following email from our colleague Dr. Lynn Williams at East Tennessee State University and permission to post this photo to my blog. It is wonderful to see that our book is being used and enjoyed.

Dear Sharynne and Elise, I’m sending you a photo of my students on the last night of my Clinical Phonology class reviewing your book just before the final! Your book is an excellent compendium of the most current information on the clinical assessment and treatment of SSD in children! Thank you for all the work you put into creating a comprehensive, balanced, thoughtful, and clinically useful book for our profession!! Kind regards, Lynn

RCSLT Child Speech Disorder Research Network

I was invited to join the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) Child Speech Disorder Research Network meeting at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.  It was a dynamic meeting of researchers from across the UK who are passionate about working in the field of children's speech.

• Here is their website: https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/bristol-speech-language-therapy-research-unit/bsltru-research/child-speech-disorder-research-network
• Their transcription guidelines (that we included in our Children's Speech book) are here.
• Their analysis guidelines will be completed soon.

Twitter post from CSDR Network

Child Speech Disorder Research Network

Teaching the SPH201 students in Albury about children with speech sound disorders

Today I begged Dr Sarah Verdon to let me teach her SPH201: Speech sound disorders class at Charles Sturt University in Albury. The class is using our Children's Speech textbook, so this was the first time I was able to actually use the material from the textbook with an undergraduate class. The students were enthusiastic and I am looking forward to hearing from Sarah about their learning throughout the semester and their application of the material to children with speech sound disorders in their professional practice. The students also promised to send feedback on the book* (something that Elise and I are very happy to receive from anyone!).

Some of the Charles Sturt University SPH201 students
with Dr Sarah Verdon and Professor Sharynne McLeod
(Photo credit: Allan)

*We did find one error in the Powerpoint slides that accompany the book (a risk/protective factor is "having an older sibling" not "being an older sibiling"

ASHA convention update

The 2016 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association convention was the largest on record with over 16,000 attendees! Here are some more interesting statistics:

• 4000+ first time attendees
• 3268 proposals submitted from 5918 authors (30% of presenters were first timers)
• 37 short courses presented
• 147 invited sessions presented
• 1072 podium sessions (including technical sessions) presented
• 1740 poster sessions presented
• 32 topic chairs + 519 committee members

My students, colleagues and I presented 6 papers during the convention (1 panel, 1 2-hour seminar, 4 technical sessions) and learned a lot from the other presentations we attended. We also valued the networking opportunities with friends and colleagues from all over the world.

Closing party at the Philadelphia Museum of Art with friends from Turkey and NZ:
Sharynne, Seyhun and Oya Topbas, Kate, Gina Tillard, Brenda

Ellie Sugden, Elise Baker, John Bernthal, Sharynne McLeod, Steph, Kate Crowe

Joanne Cleland (Scotland), Elise Baker and Sharynne at the "meet the author" session at the Pearson booth

One small section of the expansive ASHA Exhibits hall!
The booths were numbered from 100-1400.

Topic chair Danai Fannin and some members of the 2017 ASHA
Cultural and linguistic diversity committee planning next year's convention

Trinh Foundation's Facebook post about Children's Speech

The Trinh Foundation (http://trinhfoundation.org/) have just posted the following Facebook message about Children's Speech

https://www.facebook.com/trinhfoundation/?fref=nf

Children's Speech - throughout the world

A short time ago, Children's Speech was published. This book was written over many years with my colleague Elise Baker. Since its publication it has been shared with colleagues and friends throughout the world. We have donated copies to our colleagues in Ghana and Vietnam for use in their speech therapy courses.  I have also thanked a Māori elder for the wisdom of his ancestors that has been included in the Preface:

Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao,
Māku e kī atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata! 

Ask me what is the greatest thing in the world, I will reply:
It is people, it is people, it is people!

Sue Woodward and Prof Dung in Vietnam

Sharynne with Karen Wylie who has assisted with the development of the speech therapy course in Ghana (at the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics Conference in Dublin, Ireland in August)

Sharynne with a Maori elder (at the New Zealand Speech-language Therapists' Association conference in Auckland, NZ in September)

Here are the relevant websites for some parts of the world:

• US: https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/program/Mc-Leod-Children-s-Speech-An-Evidence-Based-Approach-to-Assessment-and-Intervention/PGM2490032.html
• Canada: http://catalogue.pearsoned.ca/educator/product/Childrens-Speech-An-EvidenceBased-Approach-to-Assessment-and-Intervention/9780132755962.page
• UK: https://catalogue.pearsoned.co.uk/educator/product/Childrens-Speech-An-EvidenceBased-Approach-to-Assessment-and-Intervention/9780132755962.page
• Australia: http://www.pearson.com.au/9780132755962
• NZ: http://www.pearsoned.co.nz/9780132755962

Celebrating Children's Speech

Recently Children's Speech was published. Elise Baker and I began writing this book about 15 years ago. Last night our families came together to celebrate the our book's release and to acknowledge that it was written throughout most of our children's lives. Our families appear within the book, so we had fun locating each others' photos and input. To our families - thank you for your support and encouragement. Details about the book are here.

Children's Speech is finally published!

Today Elise Baker and I learned that our book titled Children's Speech: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessment and Intervention has finally been published. Hooray!
https://www.pearsonhighered.com/program/Mc-Leod-Children-s-Speech-An-Evidence-Based-Approach-to-Assessment-and-Intervention/PGM241416.html
An earlier blog post about our work on the book is here.
Some tweets about the book are here and here. 
The Amazon link is here.
The Australian website link is here (http://www.pearson.com.au/9780132755962)

Children's Speech is almost finished

Over the past few months Elise Baker and I have been working closely with copyeditors and typesetters to finalise our new book: Children's Speech: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessment and Intervention. We are almost finished - this weekend we have been checking the page proofs for the references and glossary. Elise has been finalizing the learning guide, assessment questions, and Powerpoint slides to accompany the book. It will be published in June. We hope it is going to be a useful resource to SLPs throughout the world.

Here is what the backcover says:

Children's Speech distills scientific evidence from around the world on sound disorders across the areas of speech acquisition, assessment, analysis, diagnosis, and intervention, and presents it with practical knowledge to prepare speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to work with children and their families. The book is guided by two contemporary frameworks that direct the successful management of speech sound disorders in children: evidence-based practice (EBP) and the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health—Children and Youth (ICF-CY). The foundation knowledge covers important topics including defining the population, types of speech sound disorders, anatomical structures, articulation and transcription of speech sounds, and theoretical foundations of speech and speech acquisition. Practical evidence-based knowledge is covered in chapters that mirror the stages of contact when working with children with speech sound disorders including assessment, analysis, goal setting, intervention principles and plans, intervention procedures, phonological interventions, motor speech interventions, and the conduct of EBP. The last chapter provides comprehensive clinical information for five clinical cases, including transcribed speech samples, case history information, assessment results and other real-life material. Throughout, readers are directed to complete clinical application tasks, drawing on the case-based information in this final chapter.
This First Edition:
Distills the world’s research on speech sound disorders across the areas of speech acquisition, assessment, analysis, diagnosis, and intervention.
International in scope.
Facilitates student learning with a number of valuable pedagogical aids.
Supports course teaching with a number of aids for instructors.

Here are the links to the book:

• US: https://www.pearsonhighered.com/program/Mc-Leod-Children-s-Speech-An-Evidence-Based-Approach-to-Assessment-and-Intervention/PGM241416.html
• UK: https://catalogue.pearsoned.co.uk/educator/product/Childrens-Speech-An-EvidenceBased-Approach-to-Assessment-and-Intervention/9780132755962.page

Children's Speech: Advertised on Pearson's website

Elise Baker and I are currently in the final phases of copyediting and page proofing our new book. It has just been advertised on Pearson's website (here) and will be available in a few months' time.