Early Childhood Intervention
This website is a place for families who are facing
challenges pertaining to their child's development and
growth.
It is a place to find answers and practical
suggestions. That's what Early Intervention Support is all
about.
Whether a family has a child with a challenging behavior,
a disability or developmental issue, childhood is short - it
should be savored and enjoyed.
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We understand developmental milestones and the challenges
of Special Needs children. We spend a great deal of time
with families understanding the inner workings of childhood
routines and interactions. Ask us about your child today!
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Apraxia of Speech
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Apraxia of speech, also known as verbal apraxia or dyspraxia, is
a speech disorder in which a child has trouble saying what he or she
wants to say correctly and consistently.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech is not due to weakness or paralysis of
the speech muscles (the muscles of the face, tongue, and lips).
The severity of apraxia of speech can range from mild to severe.
What are the Symptoms of Speech Apraxia?
Children with developmental apraxia of speech generally understand
language much better than they are able to use words to express themselves.
Some children with the disorder may also have other problems. These can
include additional speech problems, such as dysarthria; language problems
such as poor vocabulary, incorrect grammar, and difficulty in clearly
organizing spoken information; problems with reading, writing, spelling, or
math; coordination or motor-skill problems; and chewing and swallowing
difficulties.
Severity of Speech Apraxia
The severity of both acquired and developmental apraxia of speech varies
from person to person. Apraxia can be so mild that a person has trouble with
very few speech sounds or only has occasional problems pronouncing words
with many syllables.
In the most severe cases, a person may not be able to communicate
effectively with speech, and may need the help of alternative or additional
communication methods.
How is Speech Apraxia Diagnosed?
Your child will probably be seen by a speech-language pathologist for the
diagnosis and treatment. There is no single factor or test that can be used
to diagnose apraxia. In addition, speech-language experts do not agree about
which specific symptoms are part of developmental apraxia of speech. The
person making the diagnosis generally looks for the presence of some, or
many, of a group of symptoms, including those described above. Ruling out
other contributing factors, such as muscle weakness or
language-comprehension problems, also helps with the diagnosis.
To diagnose developmental apraxia of speech, parents and professionals may
need to observe a childs speech over a period of time. In formal testing for
both acquired and developmental apraxia, the speech-language pathologist may
ask the person to perform speech tasks such as repeating a particular word
several times or repeating a list of words of increasing length (for
example, love, loving, lovingly).
Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech
If your child is diagnosed with developmental apraxia of speech, you
should know that he or she will not outgrow the problem on their own;
however, speech-language therapy is often helpful for children.
Speech-language pathologists use different approaches to treat apraxia of
speech, and no single approach has been proven to be the most effective.
Therapy is tailored to the individual and is designed to treat other speech
or language problems that may occur together with apraxia. Each person
responds differently to therapy, and some patients make more progress than
others. People with apraxia of speech usually need frequent and intensive
one-on-one therapy. Support and encouragement from family members and
friends are also important.
Where can I get more Information about Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America (CASANA)
1151 Freeport Road, #243
Pittsburgh, PA 15238
E-mail helpdesk@apraxia-kids.org
Website: www.apraxia-kids.org
Birth Defect Research for Children, Inc. (BDRC)
930 Woodcock Road, Suite 225
Orlando, FL 32803
E-mail staff@birthdefects.org
Website: www.birthdefects.org
CHERAB Foundation
P.O. Box 8524
Port St. Lucie, FL 34952
E-mail help@cherab.org
Website: www.cherab.org
www.speechville.com
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Therapy Options
Thankfully, there are many ways to deal with childhood developmental
delays and behaviors. These include in-home services, outpatient (you take
your child to a clinic), inpatient (following injury or surgery) and school
based services. Which type of therapy should you choose?
Visit our Therapy Options
area to learn more.
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