Childhood Apraxia of Speech

What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)?

A child with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) knows what they want to say but has difficulty saying it clearly. A child’s brain sends messages to their mouth to move and make sounds. For a child with CAS, the messages from the brain to their mouth get jumbled. CAS is sometimes called verbal dyspraxia or developmental apraxia.

A child with CAS might:

• be unable to move their lips or tongue correctly
• not talk much or at all

Children don’t usually outgrow CAS without support. A child with CAS will likely not speak as clearly as other children who are the same age. Usually, a child with CAS needs treatment to make progress with their speech sounds.

Addressing CAS can take a lot of work, but an SLP can support you and your child with a plan of care to help your child’s speech improve.

What Are Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Children with CAS don’t all have the same signs or symptoms. Your child may show some or all the signs below. If your child speaks more than one language, any signs will show up in all languages. Talk to your child’s doctor and see an SLP if your child:

• doesn’t always say words the same way or in a way that you understand them
• puts the stress on the wrong syllable or word
• distorts or changes speech sounds
• says shorter words more clearly than longer words

Children with CAS may have other challenges, including:

• difficulty with fine motor skills (small movements)
• delayed expressive language (putting thoughts to words)
• trouble with reading, spelling, and writing

What Are the Causes of Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

We don’t always know the cause of CAS. In some cases, damage to or differences in the brain cause CAS. Damage may be caused by:

• a genetic disorder or syndrome
• stroke
• traumatic brain injury

What Does Testing for Childhood Apraxia of Speech Look Like?

An SLP can test your child’s speech and language skills. Many children with speech problems, like CAS, also have problems understanding or using language.

To test for CAS, the SLP will look at:

• how your child uses the muscles around their mouth (oral–motor skills)

• the rise and fall of your child’s voice when they talk (intonation)

• how they say different speech sounds in syllables, words, and conversation

• how well other people understand your child’s speech

You should also talk to your child’s doctor, who can check for any medical problems. It is important to have your child’s hearing checked by an audiologist.

What Is the Treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Your child’s SLP will decide how often your child needs treatment, and if treatment will be individual or in a group. As your child’s speech improves, treatment may be less often.

Treatment goals

The goal of treatment is to help your child speak more clearly. Your child will learn how to:

• move their mouth for speech sounds and words
• make those movements the right way at the right time
• use strategies to help people understand them better

Your child’s speech should improve with practice. It helps to use all the senses when learning how to say words. The SLP might teach you and your child the following strategies:

• “touch” cues, like putting their finger on their lips when saying “p” in the word “pie,” as a reminder to close the lips
• “visual” cues, like looking into a mirror when saying words

Different Ways to Communicate

There are many ways a child can communicate. Talking is just one way. To communicate, your child may also use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), which includes:

• sign language or gestures
• picture boards
• speech-generating devices
• a combination of all the above

AAC systems are tools that help your child to communicate their wants and needs. These systems support communication while your child works on their speech with the SLP.

Family Support

CAS treatment takes time, and your child will need your support. You can support your child by:

• talking with your child often and practicing what your child learns with their SLP
• making practice as fun as possible
• taking breaks from practice when your child seems overwhelmed
• telling your child’s SLP what happens at home
• helping your child use their strategies when talking to other people

Your child’s SLP will partner with you to help your child succeed.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

Resources

Inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement.

• Apraxia Kids
• Child Apraxia Treatment: Once Upon a Time Foundation
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders