How PROMPT Works

PROMPT Therapy is guided by the PROMPT Conceptual Framework. This video explains what that framework is and how it sets PROMPT apart from other approaches to speech therapy. Understanding the guiding principles of PROMPT contributes to a successful relationship with your SLP and supports you in taking an active role in the client’s treatment.

After you watch the above video, you will be familiar with the three domains (Social-Emotional, Cognitive-Linguistic, and Physical-Sensory) that PROMPT works within. We’ve included more information about the domains below because each plays a crucial role in the client’s treatment and PROMPT therapy is dedicated to facilitating success across all three domains. 

The Social-Emotional domain is comprised of skills related to interacting with and learning from others in the environment. Addressing this domain builds the client’s ability to participate in useful and functional communication with others. 

• Interpersonal interaction - How responsible is the client in a conversation? Can they start/continue a conversation? Do they look at the person they’re communicating with? 

• Trust - Does the client trust the person they are communicating with? Do they seek someone out when they need help? 

• Communicative functions - such as protesting, affirmation, continuation, cessation, requesting, and questioning. Examples could include communication like: no, yes, more, all done, ball, why?

The Cognitive-Linguistic domain is comprised of skills related to understanding and using language. Within this domain PROMPT aims to strengthen the client’s knowledge and accurate use of communication. 

• Concept formation - Does the client understand when someone talks to them? Can they follow directions? Can they use words to tell someone what they want?

• Perception, sensation - Can the client see, feel, hear things in their environment?

• Discrimination, recognition - Can the client sort through what is important in what they see, feel, and hear in the environment? 

The Physical-Sensory domain is comprised of skeletal structure, muscular tone and motor skills. Treatment within this domain focuses on improving the client’s ability to be understood by others by refining how the client uses their jaw, lips, and tongue to produce sounds, words, and phrases.  

• Skeletal structure -  Are the jaw, lips, tongue, palate, and larynx intact?

• Neuromuscular integrity - Can the client walk (gross motor skills)? Is their speech understood by others (fine motor skills)?  

• Sensation - Can the client use sight, sound, taste, and touch for learning?

PROMPT assessment and treatment integrates all three domains to improve the client’s ability to communicate as a whole. 

PROMPT Assessment

PROMPT assessment evaluates how the client functions across the three domains (Social-Emotional, Cognitive-Linguistic, and Physical-Sensory). Your concerns as a caregiver are important and will provide valuable input to the treatment your family member will receive. 

Evaluations usually take 1-2 hours and are followed by a discussion of the results and recommendations.

PROMPT Systematic Motor Speech Assessment

PROMPT assessment begins with a tool called the System Analysis Observation (SAO) to understand where motor breakdowns occur. A motor breakdown is the client’s difficulty moving their jaw, lips, and tongue that results in challenges being understood. Motor breakdowns aren’t always from the Physical-Sensory domain but can also come from the Cognitive-Linguistic and Social-Emotional domains. 

Your PROMPT Trained SLP will observe the client and then transfer the SAO results to a unique tool called the Motor Speech Hierarchy (MSH) to help determine which stages to prioritize in treatment. 

Watch this video to learn more about the MSH and how it works.