An evaluation of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in the treatment of hypernasality following traumatic brain injury: a report of 3 cases

To evaluate the effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in the treatment of hypernasality following traumatic brain injury (TBI). An A-B-A experimental research design. Assessments were conducted prior to commencement of the program, midway, immediately posttreatment, and 1 month after completion of the CPAP therapy program. Three adults with dysarthria and moderate to severe hypernasality subsequent to TBI. Perceptual evaluation using the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, the Assessment of Intelligibility of Dysarthric Speech, and a speech sample analysis, and instrumental evaluation using the Nasometer. Between assessment periods, varying degrees of improvement in hypernasality and sentence intelligibility were noted. At the 1-month post-CPAP assessment, all 3 participants demonstrated reduced nasalance values, and 2 exhibited increased sentence intelligibility. CPAP may be a valuable treatment of impaired velopharyngeal function in the TBI population.