A Study of Speech and Language Training for Children with Multiple Disabilities

Abstract

A communication study was conducted employing the Kanazawa Method on two children with multiple disabilities including hearing impairment and mental retardation. The process of acquiring means of communication is reported. Case 1 is a boy with hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, severe mental retardation and epilepsy who visited our institution at the age of 1 year and 6 months. His hearing threshold was 85 dB. Guidance employing the Kanazawa Method was initiated at the age of 3 years and 5 months. At the age of 6 years and 3 months, his active communication strategy was manipulating objects and pointing by written words. After entering school, he became accustomed to using a communication book. Case 2 is a girl with hearing impairment, moderate mental retardation and muscle hypotonia who visited our institution at the age of 1 year and 8 months. Her hearing threshold was 70 dB. Guidance employing the Kanazawa Method was initiated at the age of 2 years. At the age of 6 years and 9 months, she received primarily through hearing with lip reading and transmitted primarily through spontaneous speech. Both children became able to effectively use multiple communication modalities including written language as well as hearing in combination with lip reading and sign language, indicating that even children with moderate to severe mental retardation can process written language.