Current Research Projects
How often per week should a child with moderate to severe CAS receive therapy?
Research we are funding: Comparing intensity of speech therapy for CAS two times per week versus four times per week.
Why we believe this research is important: Parents and therapists often hear that intensive treatment is important for children with CAS, leading to the conclusion that more is better. However, that is not always a realistic option for many families. Parents often find that insurance plans limit the annual number of covered therapy session. Families usually don’t have unlimited budgets for therapy, and many families make significant sacrifices for their child with CAS to receive speech therapy. School districts must also justify the amount of therapy children receive. Yet, there is little guidance to help parents and therapists make decisions about how to utilize resources for therapy other than intensive treatment is better.
This study will compare the outcomes of children who receive the same number of therapy sessions (16 hours total) under two different schedules of treatment: twice per week and four times per week. Forty (40) children age 2.5 to 7.0 years of age with moderate to severe CAS will be divided into two groups. One group will receive 60 minute treatment sessions 4 times per week for 6 weeks and the second group will 60 minute treatment sessions two times per week for 12 weeks. In total, both groups will receive the exact same number of therapy minutes, the only difference being the frequency and duration of the treatment schedule. Both groups will receive Dynamic Tactile and Temporal Cueing (DTTC). The children’s progress will be assessed immediately after the treatment period ends and again after a few weeks of time to determine the long-lasting effect of treatment under both schedules.
We believe that this study will eventually help parents and therapists make important decisions about how to allocate resources for therapy to children with CAS rather than just following the more is better approach.
This research is being conducted by Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel, PhD, CCC-SLP (Marquette University), Elizabeth Murray, PhD, CPSP (University of Sydney, Remarkable Speech + Movement), Maria Grigos, PhD, CCC-SLP (New York University) and Julie Case, PhD, CCC-SLP (Hofstra University), , Shelley Velleman, PhD, CCC-SLP (University of Vermont) and Donna Thomas, PhD, CPSP, FHEO (University of Sydney).
Can at-home practice with parents help children with CAS improve their speech?
Research we are funding: The Effect of Parent/Caregiver Training on Treatment Outcomes in CAS
Why we believe this research is important: It is common for therapists to suggest at-home practice for children with CAS. Often, parents are instructed to practice words that have been mastered in the therapy sessions to help the child use those words functionally at home. Is sending lists of mastered words home enough? Could parents be trained to act as therapist extenders by providing practice that helps the child master new words faster in therapy? If so, is it worthwhile for therapists to allocate valuable therapy time to parent/caregiver training even if it lessens direct time the therapist spends with the child? This study will explore these questions.
This research is being conducted by Maria Grigos, PhD, CCC-SLP (New York University) and Julie Case, PhD, CCC-SLP (Hofstra University).
Is a longer therapy session once per week as effective as three shorter sessions per week?
Research we are funding: Comparing the effectiveness of a single, longer block of therapy (3 hours) compared to standard treatment (3 times per week for 1 hour).
Why we believe this research is important: Parents and caregivers sometimes must travel a long distance to see a therapist with experience treating CAS. In such situations, visiting a clinic three times per week can be a daunting task. Long drives to therapy might leave the child fatigued before a session even begins. Travel expenses might place a hardship on family budgets. Could making the drive once per week and spending a 3-hour block of time with the therapist result in the same outcome as three one-hour sessions per week? This small pilot study will explore that model of therapy to determine whether it is an appropriate consideration for families who have circumstances that make attending therapy 3 times per week difficult.
This research is being conducted by Elizabeth Murray, PhD, CPSP (University of Sydney, Remarkable Speech + Movement) and Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel, PhD, CCC-SLP (Marquette University) with co-investigators Shelley Velleman, PhD, CCC-SLP (University of Vermont) and Donna Thomas, PhD, CPSP, FHEO (University of Sydney).
How does wearing a mask in therapy affect outcomes for children with CAS?
Research we have funded: The Effect of Masking on Therapy Outcomes for Children with CAS using Dynamic Tactile and Temporal Cueing
Why we believe this research is important: Dynamic Tactile and Temporal Cueing (DTTC) relies heavily visual, auditory, and tactile cues. Given the increased use of face masks in recent history, this study aimed to determine if utilizing clear vinyl masks had an impact on treatment gains.
This research was conducted by Co-principal investigators Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel, PhD, CCC-SLP (Marquette University), Elizabeth Murray, PhD, CPSP (University of Sydney, Remarkable Speech + Movement), Shelley Velleman, PhD, CCC-SLP (University of Vermont) and Donna Thomas, PhD, CPSP, FHEO (University of Sydney).
What are families' experiences receiving a diagnosis of CAS? How do families navigate treatment options?
Research we have funded: Caregivers’ Experiences of Assessment and Treatment for Their Child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech: An International Questionnaire Study
Why we believe this research is important: Families often face long and complex paths when seeking a diagnosis of CAS and locating appropriate speech therapy services. While clinical research helps inform best practices, less is known about how families experience this process, what barriers they encounter, and what types of assessment and treatment they value most. Understanding caregivers’ perspectives is essential for ensuring that research, services, and resources are aligned with the real needs of the CAS community. This study gathered input directly from families to better understand their experiences and preferences, helping inform future research priorities and efforts to improve the diagnostic and treatment journey for families affected by CAS.
This research was conducted by Donna Thomas, PhD, CPSP, FHEO (University of Sydney), Maryane Gomez, Angela Muis, Nathan Trezise, Eliza Williamson, Jessica Xue Ming Choo, Julie Case, PhD, CCC-SLP (Hofstra University), Elizabeth Murray, PhD, CCC-SLP (University of Sydney), Maria Grigos, PhD, CCC-SLP (New York University), Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel, PhD, CCC-SLP (Marquette University), and Shelley L. Velleman, PhD, CCC-SLP (University of Vermont).
What are children's experiences participating in DTTC treatment?
Research we have funded: Listening to children with CAS: Experiences and outcomes of DTTC Intervention
Why we believe this research is important: DTTC is a drill‑intensive treatment approach that requires children to remain highly engaged and to think carefully about their speech throughout each session. Because DTTC can look and feel different from other speech therapy approaches commonly used with young children, it is important to understand how children themselves experience this type of treatment. Listening directly to children with CAS can help researchers and clinicians better understand what supports engagement, motivation, and participation during therapy. This work also highlights the importance of developing creative and appropriate ways to gather feedback from children with speech challenges, ensuring their perspectives inform future research and clinical practice.
This research was conducted by Jane McCormack, PhD, CCC-SLP (Australian Catholic University), Anna Cronin PhD, CCC-SLP (Australian Catholic University), Sharynne McLeod, PhD (Charles Sturt University), Marie Ireland, PhD, BCS-CL, CCC-SLP (Charles Sturt University), Cen (Audrey) Wang, PhD (Charles Stuart University), and Caroline Tiong (Australian Catholic University).
What are clinicians' experiences when implementing DTTC in both research and non-research contexts?
Research we are funding: Clinician Perspectives Regarding Implementation of DTTC: Focus Group Interview and Survey Study
Why we believe this research is important: Outside of research settings, clinicians trained in DTTC often face real world constraints that require them to adapt or modify the protocol to fit their clinical environments and individual clients. While flexibility is sometimes necessary, this project seeks to learn more about what factors influence these decisions, how clinicians perceive the impact of modifications, and which barriers most affect accurate and effective implementation. Understanding clinicians’ experiences can help identify where additional guidance, resources, or training may be needed to better support high fidelity use of DTTC. This study will explore the practical challenges clinicians encounter in everyday practice, helping ensure future resources and supports are informed by real world insights and clinician experiences.
This research is being conducted by Heather Rusiewicz, PhD, CCC-SLP (Duquesne University) and Donna Thomas PhD, CPSP, FHEO (University of Sydney).
How can we better train clinicians to detect speech errors in order to improve diagnosis and treatment for children with CAS?
Research we are funding: Ear Training for Speech Pathologists: Improving Identification of CAS and Dysarthria Features
Why we believe this research is important: Accurate identification of speech errors is critical for both diagnosing CAS and making appropriate treatment decisions. Through our Advanced Training Workshops for clinicians using Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC), we consistently hear that “ear training” is an area where clinicians want additional support and resources. While DTTC emphasizes responsive, moment‑to‑moment clinical decision‑making, these skills rely on a clinician’s ability to hear and interpret subtle speech features accurately. This project aims to develop an online training tool to help clinicians more reliably identify motor speech features, supporting improved differential diagnosis and more effective treatment for children with motor speech disorders.
This research is being conducted by Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel, PhD, CCC-SLP (Marquette University), Kristen Allison, PhD, CCC-SLP (Northeastern University), Julie Case, PhD, CCC-SLP (Hofstra University), and Maria Grigos, PhD, CCC-SLP (New York University).