Does AOS typically affect vowels more than consonants?

• A. Yes, vowels more
• B. Only nasal vowels
• C. Not necessarily; consonant clusters and complex sequences are often more affected
• D. It only affects prosody

Answer: (C)

AOS is a motor planning difficulty that disrupts the sequencing of articulatory movements needed for speech. Because vowels are produced with relatively open, sustained articulatory positions and require fewer rapid transitions, they tend to be less demanding on sequencing than consonants, especially when those consonants come in clusters or in rapid, complex sequences. Consonant clusters demand quick, precise timing and coordination of multiple articulators, so problems with planning the sequence often show up more prominently there than in vowels. That’s why the statement that not necessarily; consonant clusters and complex sequences are often more affected best captures the pattern you see in AOS. It isn’t limited to vowels, nor to prosody, and it isn’t confined to nasal vowels.