Abstract
One speech disorder due to organic lesions of the brain quite different from aphasia and dysarthria is apraxia of speech as proposed by Darly, et al. (1975). This case report discusses the evaluation and therapy of a patient assumed to have almost solely apraxia of speech.
The patient studied is a 51 year old, right-handed male who suffered from cerebral thrombosis that caused a slight hemiplegia on the right III, IV, V fingers. Within one month after the onset he had no positive indications of aphasia, dysarthria, or other factors except possible apraxia of speech. His WAIS verbal IQ was 107 (by written response) and performance IQ was 112. However, no intentional speech was observed. After receiving four months of systematic therapy based on the programs of MIT and one for apraxia of speech by Darley, et al., the patient showed disturbances only in the prosody in his speech.
The clinical features of this case limited to inconsistent substitution of sound and slight influence in the performance of phonograms (kanas), dysprosody, and searching behavior are consistent with the characteristics of apraxia of speech previously reported by Darley, et al. (1975).
