A 32-month-old child with delayed speech presents with speech behaviors typical of which disorder?

• A. Childhood Apraxia of Speech
• B. Autism Spectrum Disorder
• C. Conductive Hearing Loss
• D. Hyperkinetic Dysarthria

Answer: (A)

When a very young child shows delayed speech that includes inconsistent sound errors, difficulty sequencing sounds and syllables, and groping for the articulators, the pattern fits Childhood Apraxia of Speech. These features reflect a problem with planning and programming the movements required for speech rather than just a lack of vocabulary or a hearing issue. Autism would emphasize social-communication challenges and restricted behaviors; conductive hearing loss would produce speech errors tied to reduced auditory input with more uniform patterns; hyperkinetic dysarthria involves ongoing abnormal muscle movements and is unlikely to present this early without broader neurological signs.