Learn how to spot the signs and symptoms of Child Apraxia of Speech in our latest blog article.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a complex speech disorder occurring in children and requires specific treatment in order to see effective results. Because of this, it’s important to find a Speech Pathologist who understands exactly how to treat the disorder as sometimes, it can be misdiagnosed. At Alex V. Speech Pathology, we specialise in speech therapy for children, with an interest in complex speech disorders such as Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Therefore, we’ve provided below everything you need to know about Childhood Apraxia of Speech and what to do if you think your child might have it.
What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is when your child struggles with what they want to say correctly and consistently. This is caused by inaccurate movements when speaking because the brain struggles to develop messages for speech movement; the speech muscles aren’t weak, they just don’t perform normally because of the brain cannot correctly direct mouth movements. Correct speech is achieved through your child’s brain sending messages to their speech muscles to tell them to create sounds and words with a normal speed and rhythm.
Signs and Symptoms
Like most speech disorders, the signs and symptoms of Childhood Apraxia of Speech will depend on the child, their age and the severity of their condition.
However, some common CAS symptoms include:
- Delayed first words
- Limited speech
- Only able to perform a few consonant or vowel sounds
- Separation of syllables in between words
- Voicing errors
- Vowel and consonant distortions
- Difficulty moving smoothly from one sound to another
It’s important to note that because some of these symptoms are relative to other speech disorders, CAS can be especially difficult to diagnose. It is crucial that CAS is diagnosed correctly as it has to be treated by a plan specific to the disorder. Alex V. Speech Pathology uses differential diagnosis methods, which is essentially distinguishing a particular disease from others that present similar clinical features. This allows us to diagnose CAS with a higher success rate, meaning your child can progress at a more successful rate.
The Alex V. Speech Pathology Experience
At Alex V. Speech Pathology, we like to make our treatment sessions as enjoyable as possible for the parent and child. If your child is diagnosed with CAS or if we see symptoms of Childhood Apraxia of Speech, they will experience a customised treatment plan to their age, life milestones, interests and hobbies to keep them engaged. Sessions are regular, drill based sessions that go for 20-30 minutes until our Speech Pathologists see results, they’re happy with. Until no more progress is possible, ongoing treatments are always recommended to ensure your child can continue to speak with easy. Because Alex V. Speech Pathology only works with children, our practice is child friendly and as “non-clinical” as our clinic can be. Our staff are friendly and thoroughly enjoy getting to know you and your child and thrive from seeing their success. In addition to our regular therapy sessions, we often send “homework” back with you and your child and ask that extra exercises are completed at home to compliment the therapy sessions.
Beyond the Benefits of Speech Pathology
In addition to correcting speech impediments and language disorders, Speech Therapy can serve a world of benefits for your child. Regular speech therapy can give your child more confidence to interact in the world around them, meaning they have the ability to create meaningful friendships and excel in their school life. This is important because your child’s ability to express themselves is a paramount, foundational skill in their life and, if you see them struggling with this, it’s best to act as soon as possible.
If you think your child requires treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech, contact Alex V. Speech Pathology on (07) 3217 7037.