STIMULABILITY CONSIDERATIONS IN THE PHONOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF A CHILDWITH A PERSISTENT DISORDER OF SPEECH-SOUND PRODUCTION

The term ''persistent sound system disorder'' has been used to describ e the speech problems of a relatively small group of children that doe s not respond readily to treatment This group includes children who ha ve been given diagnoses such as developmental apraxia of speech. In th is article, a rationale is developed for one approach to the treatment of persistent sound system disorder. This approach, which involves br oadening of the phonetic inventory early in the treatment process, is contrasted with more traditional motor-programming treatments that emp hasize stabilization of a restricted set of inconsistently produced so unds. The treatment procedures advocated in this article are illustrat ed in a case study. The article concludes with a discussion of evolvin g theories and technologies that are likely to impact upon the assessm ent and treatment of children with persistent sound system disorders i n the future.