title: Early development in infants at risk of childhood apraxia of speech: a longitudinal investigation.
abstract: This study examined early features of the heritable phenotype associated with childhood apraxia-of-speech (CAS). We compared speech and language development from 9 to 24 months of age in eight children at familial risk of CAS to that of eight infants with no such family history. At-risk infants scored lower on expressive language, speech development, and fine motor skills. Results support a broad, heritable verbal trait deficit for children at risk of CAS. Single case analyses showed poor prelinguistic speech development can dissociate from emerging receptive language and conceptualization skills, consistent with a deficit originating in speech motor control.
authors.affiliation: aSchool of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Chantelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Highman
authors.forename: Neville W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Hennessey
authors.forename: Suze
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.forename: Jan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Piek
mesh_terms: D001072:Apraxias / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D017028:Caregivers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires