EPG treatment of sibilants in two Cantonese-speaking children with cleft palate

Abstract

Two Cantonese-speaking children with cleft palate participated in an EPG treatment programme focused on sibilants. Remediation was rapid, and systemic changes occurred as a result of generalization. Implications for the description of the nature of affricates, their developmental route and the difficulty they pose for children with speech disorders are addressed. The findings are discussed within a model of output constraints according to a theory of phonological neighbourhood complexity.

Key Words:

• electropalatography
• affricates
• Cantonese
• treatment efficacy