Abstract
This study attempted to reveal the physiologic etiology or related factors associated with speech processing by comparing the compensation ability in speech motor control in children with and without articulation disorders. Subjects were 35 children with articulation disorder and 35 children without articulation disorder whose age ranged from 5 to 6 years. They were asked to rapidly repeat /$p^ha$/, /$t^ha$/, /$k^ha$/, /$p^hat^hak^ha$/ diadochokinetic movement while mandible was free and mandible was stabilized with bite block. The results showed that children with articulation disorder revealed significantly greater difference in elapsed time for diadochokinetic movement between mandible free and stabilized state compared to the without articulation disorder group. But the correlation between the percentage of consonants correct and the compensation ability in speech motor control in the articulation disorder group was irrelevant. These results point out to the fact that children with articulation disorder have poor compensation ability in speech motor control compared to the children without articulation disorder. On the other hand, the poor ability does not have any relation with the severity of articulation disorder. These results suggest either general or individual characteristics of children with articulation disorder.
