Singing Therapy Improving Peak Flow, Speech and Eating Abilities in Adults with Cerebral Palsy

Introduction: Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) often suffer from speech impairments and dysphagia due to impaired motor control of the tongue and lips. Aim: To investigate the effect of singing on peak flow, speech- and swallowing abilities in individuals with CP. Method: Ten adults with CP received one-to-one singing lessons by a professional singing teacher for one hour twice a week for 6 months. Methods: The peak flow, swallowing-, speech-, and eating abilities were investigated pre, and after 3 months and 6 months of singing. Results: The meal analysis revealed that an average of eleven factors was improved after 6 months of singing. Nine out of ten participants improved their pronunciation of the letter “N” and seven participants improved their pronunciation of the letter “G”. The singing lessons increased the peak flow significantly (p = 0.02;Pre = 246 ± 36, 3 months = 287 ± 34, and 6 months = 336 ± 48). Self-reported difficulties on a 1 - 10 scale reduced significantly for both swallowing (p = 0.039) and speaking (p = 0.049). Conclusion: 6 months of singing lessons improve the peak flow, speech-, swallowing- and eating abilities in adults with CP. The present study indicates that singing is a very promising intervention for the treatment of speech and eating impairments in individuals with CP.