What is a significant feature of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS)?

A significant feature of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is the presence of inconsistent errors on consonants and vowels. This hallmark characteristic indicates that a child with CAS may not produce the same sound or word in the same way each time they attempt to say it, which reflects the core difficulties in planning and programming the movements necessary for speech. This inconsistency is often observed as the child may be able to produce a sound accurately on one occasion but struggle with it on another, highlighting the motor planning challenges that define this speech disorder.

In contrast, other options do not accurately capture the essence of CAS. For example, excessive prosody with clear phrases would not be characteristic of CAS, as children with this condition typically demonstrate disruptions in prosody and speech flow. Improved articulation across repeated attempts is more indicative of other speech disorders rather than CAS, where motor planning impacts overall consistency. Reduced speech movement timing might be present, but it does not specifically characterize the hallmark feature of variable errors observed in CAS. This variability in speech production is critical for clinicians to recognize in diagnosing and implementing effective therapeutic strategies for children with CAS.