A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DYSARTHRIA AND VERBALDYSPRAXIA IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN

This paper discusses the relationship between the dysarthrias and verb al dyspraxia in adults and children, and examines these conditions wit h reference to current theories and a model. The empirical basis for t he study described here was the examination in depth of the speech of six subjects, each of whom presented with neurological disorders of di fferent origins: two adults, chosen to exemplify the acquired conditio ns of dysarthria and dyspraxia, and four children. The speech analyses used profiling techniques of segmental phonological and prosodic asse ssment, and electropalatographic (EPG) examination, and the profiles t hus obtained were compared between subjects and across client groups. The hypothesis was that in-depth analyses would provide distinguishing characteristics between the two neurological conditions, such that th e children with suspected developmental verbal dyspraxia would demonst rate differences from those with developmental dysarthria, and clear s imilarities to the dyspraxic adult. The results are discussed in relat ion to theoretical considerations.