What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
What Are the Causes of Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Symptoms of Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Also, a child with CAS frequently makes inconsistent speech errors. One day a child may struggle to say a word correctly, another day the child may stay the word incorrectly in a different way, but the next day the child may say the word correctly. Longer and complex words are more difficult to pronounce that short simple words. Productions may also be more consistent when the child is saying the word automatically, as in counting or singing a familiar song. But when the child is asked to say a word on demand the attempts may be more inconsistent. A child with CAS may struggle and grope for the right sound in the word they are trying to say. Sometimes, they may have to try a couple of times to get it right.
A child may exhibit differences in the rhythm and inflection of their voice when trying to talk. They might omit syllables in certain words or phrases, or pause at an awkward time while speaking. It should be noted that children with CAS understand language way better than they can speak it.
How is Childhood Apraxia of Speech Diagnosed?
A childhood apraxia of speech diagnosis should be given cautiously. There is still much unknown about this disorder and diagnosis can be very tricky. This condition is very rare and many children are being given this diagnosis when they really just have a severe phonological or articulation disorder. A certified speech-language pathologist is capable of making a CAS diagnosis since they have special training and experience with this population.
Treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Apraxia is not a condition that a child simply outgrows. If your child has apraxia of speech, he or she will not adhere to typical patterns of development without treatment. For this reason, diagnosing and treating CAS at an early stage is crucial.
If your child is having speech problems, seek an evaluation from a trained speech language pathologist. Often a combination of testing your child’s hearing, oral-motor skills, speech melody, and overall speech capability is needed to determine if your child requires therapy.
The goal of treatment is to help your child communicate more clearly. To accomplish this, speech pathologists will help your child learn how to plan movements and make those movements at the right time. This requires exercises to strengthen muscles and extensive, regular practice.
At Achieve Pediatric Therapy, we specialize in speech therapy for kids. Contact us today to schedule an evaluation with a pediatric speech language pathologist.
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