PREVALENCE OF SPEECH ABNORMALITIES IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Minaxi V. Sharma, Musharrat A. Ikkiswala, Rutvik J. Raval, Ketan B. Patel, Prabhudas S. Patel and Ramtej J. Verma*

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present investigation was to assess speech abnormalities among Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients. After taking written consent 603 control and 574 ASD patients were enrolled in the present study. As compared to prevalence of 4% speech abnormalities observed in control, it was 86% in the ASD patients. Main speech abnormalities observed in ASD patients were only bubbling (23%), monosyllabic (19%), 2-3 words only (18%), not clear (17%) non-verbal (15%), clear (5%) and stammering (3%). These abnormalities were highest (60%) in 0.5 to 5.0 years age group followed by 5.1 to 10.0 years (34%); lowest (6%) was recorded in 10.1 to 15.0 years of age group.

Keywords: Speech abnormalities, ASD, Autism, stammering, monosyllabic, non-verbal, Pediatric.