An Acoustic Analysis of Speech Motor Performance in Autistic Children.

Abstract

Purpose: Despite known motor and spoken language impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the motor skills underlying speech production and their relationship with language skills have rarely been directly investigated in this population.

Method: Thirty-nine autistic children (14 minimally verbal [MV], 25 verbal [V]) and 11 non-autistic [NA]) children aged 4-7 years were audio-recorded producing multiple repetitions of single syllables. Acoustic features quantifying speech precision, coordination, and consistency were compared among groups. Correlations between acoustic speech features and language measures were examined.

Results: The MV group showed significant differences from the V and NA groups in speech precision, coordination, and consistency. Across all the ASD children (MV + V), there were significant correlations between numerous acoustic speech features and expressive and receptive language.

Conclusions: These results are an initial step toward establishing acoustic-based speech motor profiles and understanding the connections between motor and language development in ASD. Measures of early oromotor function have the potential to play a role in the early identification of language impairments and in predicting language outcomes in this population.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29042162.