Syllable structure development of toddlers with expressive specific language impairment

A total of 35 children - 20 with expressive specific language impairment (S LI-E) and 15 typically developing (TD) peers - were compared longitudinally from 24 to 36 months with respect to their production of syllable shapes i n 10-minute spontaneous speech samples. SLI-E 24-month-olds predominantly p roduced earlier developing syllable shapes containing vowels, liquids, and glides. TD 24-month-olds and SLI-E 36-month-olds produced approximately the same proportion of syllable types, with the exception of consonant cluster s, where TD 24 month-olds produced more than SLI-E 36-month-olds. TD childr en at 36 months showed the greatest use of syllable shapes containing two d ifferent consonants and consonant clusters. Detailed analyses revealed that SLI-E children produced fewer syllable shapes containing final consonants, more than one consonant type, and consonant clusters. Furthermore, the chi ldren with SLI-E were found to vocalize less often than their TD peers. The possible relationships between these findings, SLI-E children's concomitan t deficits in morphology and syntax, and the implications for diagnosis and remediation are discussed.