Childhood Apraxia of speech or CAS is a type of speech disorder that is present at birth.  Someone with CAS has difficulty executing the movements required to sequence sounds within syllables and words.  CAS affects the brain pathways involved with sending signals to the speech muscles of the jaw, lips, and tongue.  In most children, these signals work effectively and the child can sequence sounds into words and words into phrases correctly and consistently.  A child that suffers from CAS has a brain that struggles to sequence and execute the required speech movements.  So, in effect, someone who has CAS knows what they want to say, has speech muscles that work appropriately, but their brain has difficulty sending the correct signals to the muscles to execute movement sequences necessary for speech.  Childhood Apraxia of Speech is not a speech delay, because with a speech delay the child follows a normal path to speech development, it just takes longer than normal. Those that have CAS can experience a mild or severe case, but the child will not outgrow it over time and requires skilled intervention.  Childhood Apraxia of speech is uncommon and affects boys more than girls.

 

What Are the Causes of Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Symptoms of Childhood Apraxia of Speech