Speech, Language, and Hearing Practice Elements in the Management of the Child with Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy may have difficulty participating at home, school, work, and community settings due to problems with their communication. These problems can be described within the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework. Communication problems can be due to the ICF body structure and/or function which include the anatomy and physiology of speech, language, and hearing. The ICF activity level describes the communication roles of sending (e.g., speaking and writing) and receiving messages (e.g., listening and reading). The ICF participation level describes how communication assists with an individual’s participation in home life, at school, in work settings, and within other community events. These three levels are influenced by environmental and personal factors. Environmental factors can include characteristics of communication partners, physical characteristics of places where communication happens, and societal attitudes towards different communication methods. Personal factors can include characteristics of the child (such as age or gender) that can affect communication. Assessment and intervention can be described and planned within the ICF framework. More research is needed to demonstrate the efficacy of these assessments and intervention.