A child with low muscle tone is most likely to demonstrate which characteristic of speech production?

A child with low muscle tone, also known as hypotonia, often exhibits imprecise articulation in their speech production. This occurs because low muscle tone affects the strength and coordination of the muscles involved in speech, including those of the lips, tongue, and jaw. The reduced muscle tension and control can lead to difficulty in producing clear and distinct sounds, resulting in a lack of precision in articulation.

This characteristic can manifest as slurred speech or difficulty with enunciating specific phonemes, which directly impacts overall intelligibility. As a result, children with low muscle tone may struggle to maintain the necessary muscle tension during speech, leading to imprecise articulation.

The other options do not align with the primary effects of low muscle tone. While rapid rate of speech may occur in various speech disorders, it is not typically associated with hypotonia. Harsh vocal quality is more indicative of other conditions, and limited range of motion usually refers more to physical movements rather than specific speech production characteristics. Therefore, the feature most connected to a child with low muscle tone in the context of speech production is indeed imprecise articulation.