8. Reliance on Simplified Speech Patterns: The Resort to Simplicity
A symptom that is often seen in children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech is the use of simplified speech patterns. This is a coping mechanism that some children with CAS adopt to manage their speech difficulties.
For instance, children with CAS might predominantly use simple syllable shapes in their speech, such as consonant-vowel (CV) combinations like ‘ma’ or ‘da.’ They might struggle with more complex syllable shapes like consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) combinations, or with words that involve blends of consonants.
This reliance on simplified speech patterns can lead to speech that sounds younger than the child’s actual age. It can also affect the child’s speech intelligibility, as many words get simplified or distorted due to the restricted syllable shapes and sound combinations.
Recognizing this symptom can help guide the therapeutic approach. Speech-language pathologists can design therapy activities that encourage the child to gradually expand their speech patterns, introducing more complex syllable shapes and sound combinations in a systematic and manageable way. (8)
