Overview

ReST is an evidence-based treatment. The majority of the research listed below has been conducted at The University of Sydney. We welcome replication and collaboration so please feel free to contact us with your ideas and questions.

We have summarised the Childhood Apraxia of Speech evidence to date in an evidence brief on assessment, diagnosis and treatment which you can download. Please note that this is not a summary of the ReST literature.

Some of the articles are open access (free) so click on the link if you would like a copy. For all other articles from the University of Sydney about ReST or apraxia treatment please feel free to contact us and we will send you an author copy if you cannot get it in other ways. Please be patient as it may take a little while for us to send you the article.

The articles about ReST in Korean and the one about TEMPO, a variation of ReST which included 4 syllable nonsense words over 16 sessions, can be requested from their authors.

Current ReST Projects

Korkaleinen, McCabe, Smidt & Morgan ReST (and other treatments) for children with cerebral palsy.

McCabe, Thomas, McLaughlin, Avramovic, Brassel & Scott ReST for Adults and adolescents

Other CAS research projects

We are currently recruiting children with CAS aged 3-7 in Australia and the USA for treatment research. Please go to the Dynamic Therapy Trial web page for more information.


Publications

University of Sydney

McCabe, P., Preston, J. L., Evans, P., & Heard, R. (2023). A Pilot Randomized Control Trial of Motor-Based Treatments for Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment and Ultrasound Biofeedback. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology32(2), 629-644 (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00144

Korkalainen, J., McCabe, P., Smidt, A., & Morgan, C. (2023). The Effectiveness of Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment in Improving Communication in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Developmental Neurorehabilitation26(5), 309-319. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518423.2023.2218485

Thomas, D., Murray, E., Williamson, E., & McCabe, P. (2023). Weekly Treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech With Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment: A Single-Case Experimental Design Study. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_JSLHR-22-00665

Korkalainen, M. J., McCabe, P., Smidt, A., & Morgan, C. (2022). Outcomes of a novel single case study incorporating Rapid Syllable Transition treatment, AAC and blended intervention in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study. Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology, 1–10.  https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2022.2071488

Ng, W. L., McCabe, P., Heard, R., Park, V., Murray, E., & Thomas, D. (2022). Predicting Treatment Outcomes in Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research65(5),  https://doi.org/1784-1799. 10.1044/2022_JSLHR-21-00617

O’Farrell, C., McCabe, P., Purcell, A., & Heard, R. (2022). The Adult Perceptual Limen of Syllable Segregation in Typically Developing Paediatric Speech. Frontiers in Communication, 61. (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2022.839415 

Scarcella, I., Michelazzo, L., & McCabe, P. (2021). A Pilot Single-Case Experimental Design Study of Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment for Italian Children With Childhood Apraxia of Speech. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00133

McCabe, P., Thomas, D.C., & Murray, E. (2020). Tutorial: Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment (ReST) – A treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech and other pediatric motor speech disorders. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups. 5 (4) (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_PERSP-19-00165

Barrett, C., McCabe, P. Masso, S. & Preston, J. (2019). Protocol for the connected speech transcription of children with speech disorders: An example from Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopedia https://doi.org/10.1159/000500664

Brown, T., McCabe, P. & Murray, E. (2018). The boundaries of auditory perception for within-word syllable segregation in untrained and trained adult listeners. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics. 32 (11) 979-996. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2018.1463395

Thomas, D., McCabe, P. & Ballard, K.J. (2017). Combined clinician parent delivery of Rapid Syllable Transition (ReST) treatment for childhood apraxia of speech. International Journal of Speech Language Pathology DOI:10.1080/17549507.2017.1316423

Thomas, D., McCabe, P., Ballard, K.J. & Lincoln, M. (2016). Telehealth Delivery of Rapid Syllable Transitions (ReST) treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. International Journal of Language & Communication DisordersDOI:0.1111/1460-6984.12238

Murray, E., McCabe, P. & Ballard, K.J. (2015). A Randomized Control Trial of Treatments for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research 58 (3) 669-686. DOI:10.1044/2015_JSLHR-S-13-0179

McCabe, P., Macdonald-D’Silva, A.G., van Rees, L.J., Ballard, K.J. & Arciuli, J. (2014). Orthographically sensitive treatment for dysprosody in children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech using ReST intervention. Developmental Neurorehabilitation. 17, (2) 137-145. DOI:10.3109/17518423.2014.906002

Thomas, D., McCabe, P. & Ballard, K.J. (2014). Rapid Syllable Transitions (ReST) Treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech: The Effect of Lower Dose Frequency. Journal of Communication Disorders. 51, 29-42. DOI:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2014.06.004

Murray, E., McCabe, P. & Ballard, K.J. (2012). A comparison of two treatments for childhood apraxia of speech: methods and treatment protocol for a parallel group randomised control trial. BMC Pediatrics. (Open Access) DOI:10.1186/1471-2431-12-112

Van Rees, L. Ballard, K.J., McCabe, P. MacDonald da Silva, A., & Arciuli, J. (2012). Training Production of Lexical Stress in Typically Developing Children with Orthographically Biased Stimuli and Principles of Motor Learning. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology 21, 197–206. DOI:10.1044/1058-0360(2012/11-0008)

Murray, E., McCabe, P, & Ballard, K. (2011). Using ReST intervention for paediatric cerebellar ataxia: A pilot study. Stem-, Spraal-en Taalpathologie (17) S55.

Ballard, K., Robin, D., Mccabe, P., & Mcdonald, J. (2010). A Treatment for Dysprosody in Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research (Online)53(5), 1227–1245A. DOI: 10.1044/1092-4388(2010/09-0130)

Other institutions

Miller, H. E., Ballard, K. J., Campbell, J., Smith, M., Plante, A. S., Aytur, S. A., & Robin, D. A. (2021). Improvements in Speech of Children with Apraxia: The Efficacy of Treatment for Establishing Motor Program Organization (TEMPOSM). Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 1-16. DOI: 10.1080/17518423.2021.1916113

Nakamura-Palacios, E. M., Falçoni Júnior, A. T., Tanese, G. L., Vogeley, A. C. E., & Namasivayam, A. K. (2024). Enhancing Speech Rehabilitation in a Young Adult with Trisomy 21: Integrating Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) with Rapid Syllable Transition Training for Apraxia of Speech. Brain Sciences, 14(1), 58. (Open Access) https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14010058

Oh, D. H., & Ha, J. W. (2021). Development and clinical application of Korean-version nonword intervention to improve speech motor programming. Phonetics and Speech Sciences13(2), 77-90. DOI: 10.13064/KSSS.2021.13.2.077


Conference Presentations (not in the above articles)

Meehan, N., McCabe, P., & Madill, C. (2019). Treating more children with childhood apraxia of speech more often. Paper presented at the Speech Pathology Australia Annual Conference, Brisbane, Australia..

McCabe, P., Murray, E. & Thomas, D. (2017). Exploring Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment (ReST): An evidence based treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Paper presented at the American Speech Language and Hearing Association Annual Convention, Los Angeles November 2017.

Murray, E., Thomas, D. & McCabe, P. (2017). Exploring Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment (ReST): An evidence-based treatment for Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia. Paper presented at the Royal College of Speech-Language Therapists Biennial Conference, September 2017.

Bejjani, L., McCabe, P., Murray, E., Thomas, D. & Ballard, K.J. (2013). The ecological validity of ReST intervention: Improvements in connected speech of children with CAS. Paper presented at Communicating Together’ Speech Pathology Symposium. 2-4 December 2013, Newcastle.

McCabe, P., Murray, E., Thomas, D., Bejjani, L. & Ballard, K.J. (2013). A new evidence based treatment for childhood apraxia of speech: ReST. Paper presented at 2013 ASHA Convention, Chicago, USA.

Murray, E., McCabe, P., & Ballard, K.J. (2013). Exploring factors that determined treatment success: data from a Randomized Control Trial for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Paper presented at 2013 ASHA Convention, Chicago, USA.

McCabe, P. Ballard, K.J., & McDonald J (2010). Using the ReST intervention to treat a three year old with childhood apraxia of speech: A case study in EBP. Paper presented at Speech Pathology Australia Annual National Conference May 2010 Melbourne.

McCabe, P., & Ballard, K.J (2008). An Innovative Syllable Transition Treatment Trial for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Presentation to the Motor Speech Conference, March 2008, Monterey, CA, USA.

Staples, T., McCabe, P., Ballard, K.J. & Robin, D.A. (2008). Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Treatment Outcomes at 6 months of an Intervention Incorporating Principles of Motor Learning. Paper presented at the Joint New Zealand Speech-Language Therapy Association/ Speech Pathology Australia Conference, May 2008, Auckland, New Zealand


Other

McCabe, P., Thomas, D., & Murray E. (2024). Clinician Manual for Rapid Syllable Transition Training (ReST). 2nd edition. The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia. ISBN 978‐1‐74210‐574‐1

McCabe, P. (2023). Update on Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment (ReST): A treatment for childhood apraxia of speech and other motor speech disorders. In C. Bowen, Children’s speech sound disorders (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.

McCabe, P., Thomas, D., & Murray E. (2016). Clinician Manual for Rapid Syllable Transition Training (ReST). The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia. ISBN 978-1-74210-369-3

McCabe, P. & Ballard, K.J. (2015). The ReST program. In C. Bowen (ed) Children’s Speech Sound Disorders (2nd ed.). Wiley Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-118-63402-8

A review of ReST in Danish https://vidensportal.dk/handicap/Born-og-unge-med-verbal-dyspraksi/indsatser/rapid-syllable-transition-training-rest