An Evidence-Based Approach to Childhood Apraxia
Has your child missed a key communication milestone, like repeating sounds or speaking their first word? They may have childhood apraxia, also known as childhood apraxia of speech or CAS. If they do, it’s essential that they work with one of the speech therapists at Go Physical Therapy Children's Rehab Center.
Childhood apraxia occurs when the brain can not send the correct messages to the muscles in the mouth, tongue, and lips to allow them to form words. These muscles aren’t weak. They simply aren’t receiving motor messages from the brain.
Pediatric speech therapy is crucial in helping kids with childhood apraxia communicate effectively. Schedule an appointment at our Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney or Lincoln, NE clinic to learn more.
How Do I Know If My Child Has CAS?
Childhood apraxia is a rare disorder, and the causes aren’t obvious. While it sometimes develops due to damage to the brain (such as a brain injury or neurological condition), there are many cases where there’s no clear cause at all.
Difficulties with communication and speaking are the most apparent signs of childhood apraxia:
- Speech-related developmental delays
- Distorting vowel or consonant sounds
- Pronouncing words differently every time
- Smaller vocabulary
- Putting the incorrect emphasis on syllables
Childhood apraxia can often resemble other childhood speech disorders. If you notice any irregularities with your child’s speech or language development, schedule an appointment for an assessment. Our pediatric speech therapists can let you know for sure.
How We Treat Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
The speech therapist sat Go Physical Therapy Children's Rehab Center will work closely with you and your child to develop an effective, science-backed plan to improve your child’s speech. The most important aspect of treatment is teaching your child how to move their muscles so they can form the right sounds.
The best way to do this is through practice! We’ll instruct your child on proper mouth formation and give them different cues to help them remember those shapes.
For example, we might have your child look at themselves in the mirror as they practice speaking certain sounds. Or we may provide tactile cues (like touching their lips as they speak) so they can better understand what a shape “feels” like.
If necessary, we can also provide forms of alternative or augmentative communication (AAC), which provides your child with different ways of communication, such as sign language or text-to-voice software.
Help your child find their voice with pediatric speech therapy. Schedule an appointment at Go Physical Therapy Children's Rehab Center to get started!