Definition

Diadochokinetic rate (DDK) refers to an assessment tool, used by speech-language pathologists (SLPs), that measures how quickly an individual can accurately produce a series of rapid, alternating sounds. These sounds, also called tokens, may be one syllable such as "puh," two or three syllables such as "puh-tuh" or "puh-tuh-kuh," or familiar words such as "pattycake" or "buttercup." Other names for DDK rate include maximum repetition rate and The Fletcher Time-by-Count Test of Diadochokinetic Syllable Rate, the latter of which is named for the clinician who published DKK rate data in 1972.

Purpose

Diadochokinetic rate is one means of assessing oral motor skills. DDK rate provides information about a person's ability to make rapid speech movements using different parts of his mouth. For example, the sounds "puh," "tuh," and "kuh" use the front (the lips), middle (the tip of the tongue), and back of the...