Communication is something every kid should learn; however, some kids have to face other challenges that keep them from developing their speaking skills. Childhood apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder in which the child cannot coordinate movements necessary for speech articulation. In choke-hold, unlike other speech delays, the problem is not muscle tone weakness but the failure of the brain to send exact signals to the muscles using speech production. Although the child knows strongly what they want to say, it becomes difficult to pronounce the words accurately and consistently.
How Can You Tell If a Child Has Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Most children with CAS will have difficulty forming words and sounds consistently. One of the most noticeable signs is that the child will have difficulty saying the same word exactly right every time. A child may pronounce a word accurately at one moment but really struggle with it a short time later. Additional characteristics: Children with CAS have great difficulty with the smooth joining of sounds and syllables. They may also be people with difficulty moving their mouth, lips, or tongue to produce specific sounds. If a child understands the language but cannot express it verbally, this would indicate the need for assessment for childhood apraxia of speech.
What Happens During a Childhood Apraxia of Speech Assessment?
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) assesses a child to determine CAS and the severity of the condition. Parts of the assessment often include observation of how a child attempts to produce words, repeat sounds, or form speech patterns. The consistency of the student’s speech sounds and how well the child manages mouth and tongue movements during speaking attempts will be evaluated. Since CAS can be mistaken for other speech disorders, rigorous evaluation indeed aids in determining the most appropriate treatment program.
How Does Childhood Apraxia of Speech Therapy Help?
Therapy for CAS aims to improve the planning and coordination of speech movements in children. Childhood apraxia of speech therapy is unlike traditional speech therapy, wherein children learn sounds; it mostly involves repetitive speech tasks wherein children are supposed to practice the exact mouth movements. They can be helped in positioning the lips, tongue, and jaw appropriately through visual and tactile cues. In certain instances, alternative means of communication, such as sign language, may be introduced to develop communication while a child builds verbal speech abilities.
Where Can You Find the Right Support for Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
It is important to understand that if your child shows signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech, early intervention will benefit them in most cases by improving their speech and communication. We’re Street Simple Therapy, and we’re here to provide specialized one-on-one therapy for childhood apraxia of speech, individualized for each child’s needs. Our qualified therapists will give a comprehensive childhood apraxia of speech assessment to help formulate a specialized therapy plan to give children the confidence to communicate. The difference early help makes in a child’s communicative ability is significant – call today to schedule an assessment and then to the first step toward clearer speech.
