What is Apraxia?

Apraxia of Speech - Definition

Apraxia of speech is a motor planning speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to use verbal speech. Most kids with apraxia have age appropriate receptive language. They can understand just the same as their age matched peers. Children with apraxia have difficulty carrying out the precise timing and complex movements of speech that most of us take for granted.

Apraxia is very different from an articulation disorder or a phonological patterns disorder. These disorders have consistency in the error patterns and follow an expected developmental path but the skills may be attained at a slower rate. Children with apraxia of speech have inconsistent errors and difficulty with smooth transitions from sound production to complex combinations for words, phrases, sentences and conversational speech.

Assessment

A speech - language pathologist (SLP) with experience evaluating and treating children with apraxia can test your child’s speech and language. We perform this kind of assessment at Better Learning Therapies. The diagnostician will administer standardized and non standardized tests that will reveal your child’s understanding of language (receptive) as well as how they use language (expressive). They will also look at motor speech skills, speech naturalness (prosody) and oral motor skills for feeding.

Apraxia and Feeding

Feeding is really the first part of a child’s path to communication skills - the same muscles and motor plans used for biting, chewing and swallowing are used for speech production. Some children with apraxia present with sensory needs that also impact feeding and swallowing skills. For example, they may have difficulty chewing crunchy foods and so they avoid them or refuse to eat them. Combined services from occupational therapy and feeding therapy along with speech-language therapy can help to address these needs.

Treating Apraxia

Because apraxia is a motor planning disorder, therapy must address the systematic practice required to create automatic motor plans. The speech therapy approach should be individualized and focused on teaching sequenced movements. Initially, most children will greatly benefit from alternative/augmentative communication (AAC) like a core word board, picture exchange program or speech generating device. At Better Learning Therapies we use all these options along with PROMPT therapy and other speech therapy approaches.

Each child’s journey is unique and there are many factors that will impact and influence success in treatment. We know from research and experience that most children with CAS, with consistent and appropriate help, eventually achieve verbal communication to some degree.

Join our cause

We’ll be supporting the Apraxia Kids Walk for Apraxia this year in a virtual walk fundraiser. Please join us!

Click the image for free registration and join the BLT Team!