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Cluttering in Children and Adolescents: Speech Motor Development, Neurocognitive Mechanisms, and Allied Health Implications

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Title: Cluttering in Children and Adolescents: Speech Motor Development, Neurocognitive Mechanisms, and Allied Health Implications
Authors: Weifeng Han, Lin Zhou, Juan Lu, Shane Pill
Source: Children ; Volume 13 ; Issue 1 ; Pages: 97
Publisher Information: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Publication Year: 2026
Collection: MDPI Open Access Publishing
Subject Terms: cluttering, speech motor development, motor–cognitive integration, neurodevelopment, speech timing, developmental communication disorders
Description: Background/Objectives: Cluttering in childhood and adolescence is characterised by unstable speech timing, excessive coarticulation, irregular rate and reduced intelligibility, yet the developmental mechanisms underpinning these behaviours remain partially understood. This review synthesises empirical and conceptual evidence to examine cluttering through the lenses of speech motor development, neurocognitive mechanisms, task demands and allied-health practice. Four research questions guided the review, focusing on motor characteristics, developmental and neurocognitive mechanisms, task dependence and clinical implications. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search across seven databases identified studies examining cluttering in children and adolescents. Screening and full-text review were conducted in Covidence by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by the first author. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted into a structured evidence table, and findings were synthesised. Results: Across studies, cluttering emerged as a developmental motor–cognitive integration disorder. Speech motor systems, linguistic formulation and executive control showed difficulty aligning under real-world communicative demands, leading to timing instability, articulatory blurring and reduced intelligibility. Symptoms were strongly influenced by task complexity, with spontaneous and extended discourse eliciting the most pronounced breakdowns. Conclusions: Cluttering reflects a developmental vulnerability in coordinating speech motor, linguistic and executive processes. Understanding cluttering in this way challenges narrow rate-based definitions and supports more nuanced approaches to assessment and intervention. Significant evidence gaps remain, particularly in longitudinal, mechanistic, multilingual and ecologically valid research. This developmental motor–cognitive framework strengthens the conceptual foundations of cluttering and clarifies its relevance to children’s motor ...
Document Type: Thesis
File Description: application/pdf
Language: English
Relation: Pediatric Neurology & Neurodevelopmental Disorders; https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/children13010097
DOI: 10.3390/children13010097
Availability: https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010097
Rights: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Accession Number: edsbas.7ED094E3
Database: BASE
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  – Url: https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010097#
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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Cluttering in Children and Adolescents: Speech Motor Development, Neurocognitive Mechanisms, and Allied Health Implications
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Weifeng+Han%22">Weifeng Han</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lin+Zhou%22">Lin Zhou</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Juan+Lu%22">Juan Lu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shane+Pill%22">Shane Pill</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: Children ; Volume 13 ; Issue 1 ; Pages: 97
– Name: Publisher
  Label: Publisher Information
  Group: PubInfo
  Data: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Year
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
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  Label: Collection
  Group: HoldingsInfo
  Data: MDPI Open Access Publishing
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22cluttering%22">cluttering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22speech+motor+development%22">speech motor development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22motor–cognitive+integration%22">motor–cognitive integration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22neurodevelopment%22">neurodevelopment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22speech+timing%22">speech timing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22developmental+communication+disorders%22">developmental communication disorders</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Description
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background/Objectives: Cluttering in childhood and adolescence is characterised by unstable speech timing, excessive coarticulation, irregular rate and reduced intelligibility, yet the developmental mechanisms underpinning these behaviours remain partially understood. This review synthesises empirical and conceptual evidence to examine cluttering through the lenses of speech motor development, neurocognitive mechanisms, task demands and allied-health practice. Four research questions guided the review, focusing on motor characteristics, developmental and neurocognitive mechanisms, task dependence and clinical implications. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search across seven databases identified studies examining cluttering in children and adolescents. Screening and full-text review were conducted in Covidence by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by the first author. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted into a structured evidence table, and findings were synthesised. Results: Across studies, cluttering emerged as a developmental motor–cognitive integration disorder. Speech motor systems, linguistic formulation and executive control showed difficulty aligning under real-world communicative demands, leading to timing instability, articulatory blurring and reduced intelligibility. Symptoms were strongly influenced by task complexity, with spontaneous and extended discourse eliciting the most pronounced breakdowns. Conclusions: Cluttering reflects a developmental vulnerability in coordinating speech motor, linguistic and executive processes. Understanding cluttering in this way challenges narrow rate-based definitions and supports more nuanced approaches to assessment and intervention. Significant evidence gaps remain, particularly in longitudinal, mechanistic, multilingual and ecologically valid research. This developmental motor–cognitive framework strengthens the conceptual foundations of cluttering and clarifies its relevance to children’s motor ...
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  Data: Pediatric Neurology & Neurodevelopmental Disorders; https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/children13010097
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  Data: 10.3390/children13010097
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  Data: https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010097
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  Data: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3390/children13010097
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      – Text: English
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: cluttering
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: speech motor development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: motor–cognitive integration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: neurodevelopment
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      – SubjectFull: speech timing
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      – SubjectFull: developmental communication disorders
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Cluttering in Children and Adolescents: Speech Motor Development, Neurocognitive Mechanisms, and Allied Health Implications
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            NameFull: Lin Zhou
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