What is Apraxia?
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a communication disorder in which children have difficulty saying sounds, syllables and words. This disorder is not due to muscle weakness or paralysis; rather, the brain has difficulty planning and coordinating all of the movements with the lips, tongue and jaw which are necessary for speech.
Severity of apraxia ranges from mild to severe. For children with severe apraxia, sign language and/or an augmentative alternative communication (AAC) device may be utilized.
Common symptoms of Apraxia:
- did not coo or babble as an infant
- first words were delayed
- effortful "grasping" or "groping" with mouth and tongue when trying to produce sounds/words
- limited number of consonant and vowel sounds produced correctly
- longer words/phrases/sentences are more difficult to understand than shorter ones
- inconsistent sound errors
- difficulty imitating speech, but imitated speech is easier to understand than spontaneous speech
- tends to stress the wrong syllable or word
- understanding of language is stronger than what the child can produce verbally
Causes of Apraxia:
- The cause of most cases of apraxia is unknown. Researchers speculate that apraxia may be caused by multiple factors and conditions that are unknown. In some cases, however; apraxia may be caused by genetic disorders or syndromes, as well as stroke or brain injury.
- Apraxia may occur on its own although is sometimes seen in conjunction with other disorders, such as autism, Fragile X syndrome and epilepsy.
What can you do?
- Students with apraxia have a hard time expressing their ideas, feelings, needs and wants. Make sure to provide your student with multiple ways to communicate at all times and be patient when trying to figure out what he/she is trying to say.
- Provide opportunities to socialize and communicate with peers and adults. Since speaking is difficult, children with apraxia may miss opportunities to interact with others.
