In AOS assessment, what does lengthened intersegmental transitions indicate?

• A. Difficulty programming the sequence of movements across phonemes and syllables, leading to slower speech and distortions.
• B. Difficulty articulating vowels only; no
• C. Lengthened intersegmental transitions indicate normal sequencing.
• D. Normal speed but with fatigue.

Answer: (A)

Lengthened intersegmental transitions reveal trouble with motor programming of speech sequences across phonemes and syllables. In apraxia of speech, the brain has difficulty planning the exact order and timing of articulatory movements needed to move smoothly from one sound to the next. That planning trouble makes transitions between gestures slower and more effortful, producing slower speech with distortions and often variable errors. This pattern is not limited to vowels and is not a sign of normal sequencing or mere fatigue; it reflects the core motor programming deficit that characterizes AOS.