A follow-up case study of transitory developmental apraxia of speech: 'L'enfant à voyelles'

Abstract

It is well known that the acquisition of consonants can be a more difficult developmental process than of vowels. In this study the authors describe a case of 'transitory developmental apraxia of speech' (TDAS) in which a French-speaking child, although he acquired the whole vowel system, showed a significant delay in consonant acquisition and usage. The results of systematic observations and assessments of general cognitive and specific language functioning cover a period of 4 years (age 3:8 to 7:1l), from first clinical assessment to evidence of a good academic achievement. It is argued that this case demonstrates an unusual example of TDAS. The language deficits observed could not be attributed to oromotor, neurological, cognitive or intellectual deficits. The findings here also raise crucial questions concerning the origins of such a speech disorder and why it is transient in nature.