Variable speech in children is considered a natural physiological phenomenon. This variability typically decreases as development progresses, leading to more consistent speech. If pathological phonological processes accompany variable production, inconsistent production can be a predictor of dyslexia. Analyzing the development of natural physiological variability and consistency is crucial for diagnosing speech inconsistency. The study aims to describe the performance of Slovak unimpaired monolingual children with appropriate speech intelligibility, aged between 5;07 to 6;00 years, regarding the consistency and variability of speech. In a study of 89 typically developing Slovak children aged 5;07 to 6;00 years, 75% exhibited consistent speech. The remaining 25% showed variability ranging from 3% to 17%. Consonant substitutions fell within natural physiological phonological processes. The findings suggest natural physiological variability can occur in children within this age range. Neither gender nor place of residence (rural/urban) significantly influenced speech variability and consistency. These data may inform diagnostic criteria.

Department of Speech and Language Therapy Faculty of Education Comenius University in Bratislava Bratislava

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