This report describes three extensions to a classification system for paediatric speech sound disorders termed the Speech Disorders Classification System (SDCS). Part I describes a classification extension to the SDCS to differentiate motor speech disorders from speech delay and to differentiate among three sub-types of motor speech disorders.…

Discusses developmental apraxia of speech (DAS), a putative diagnostic category for children whose speech errors differ from errors of children with developmental speech delay and resemble errors of adults with acquired apraxia of speech. A study of 148 children with language impairments investigated the diagnosis of DAS. (Author/CR)

Discusses a study that compared speech and prosody-voice profiles of children (ages 4-14) with suspected developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) to profiles of 73 children with speech delay. Also describes a second study of 20 children (ages 3-9) that investigated whether stress was a diagnostic marker of DAS. (Author/CR)

A study used the conversational speech samples from 19 children (ages 4-14) with suspected developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) to investigate the characteristics of the disability. The results of the study, combined with the results of two previous studies, indicate inappropriate stress is a diagnostic marker for DAS. (Author/CR)

A diagnostic classification system for phonological disorders is presented which is oriented to the goals of explanation, prediction, and management. Data supporting the validity and utility of the system are also provided, based on a retrospective classification of 43 children with delayed speech. (Author/SEW)