Childhood Apraxia of Speech
in Baton Rouge, LA
Speech and language struggles can make it difficult for children to share their ideas, make friends, or do well in school. For some children, these challenges can be caused by a neurological condition called childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Children with CAS know what they want to say, and how they want to say it—but they still struggle to physically form the words to express their thoughts. Keep reading to learn more about this condition, what causes it, and how our experts at Dynamic Therapy Specialists can help.
What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a neurological condition that affects a child’s ability to plan and execute the precise lip, tongue, and palate movements necessary for clear speech. Unlike other speech disorders where the muscles involved in speech production are weak or uncoordinated, with CAS, there is a miscommunication between the brain or central nervous system and the muscles in the mouth.
What Causes Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
The exact cause of CAS is not fully understood, but some potential risk factors for this condition can include genetic predisposition, acquired brain injury, or having other neurological conditions such as autism.
Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Recognizing the signs of childhood apraxia of speech is key for early intervention and support. Common signs and symptoms of this condition can include:
- Inconsistent speech sound errors, where the child may produce a sound correctly one time but struggle to produce it again in the same context
- Difficulty imitating speech sounds
- Speech that is difficult for others to understand
- Use of simplified or distorted speech patterns
- Frustration or difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas verbally
- Sudden loss of words from their vocabulary
How We Address Childhood Apraxia of Speech
At Dynamic Therapy Specialists, we take a holistic approach to pediatric therapy. Rather than simply teaching children how to compensate for the skills they struggle with, we take a bottom-up approach by focusing on remediation first. By evaluating the foundational areas of your child’s development, we can identify and address the basics of their development to improve their symptoms and empower them to communicate.
Think of it this way: you have to learn to walk before you can learn to run. It’s not that you can’t learn how to run, but if you never learned how to walk first, you’ll be missing the basics that you need to support learning how to run. By prioritizing skill remediation over compensation, we empower children to build a strong foundation for future growth and development.
Schedule an Evaluation Today
If your child is struggling with childhood apraxia of speech, or if you have any other concerns about their speech or language development, our team at Dynamic Therapy Specialists will go above and beyond to help. Call us at (225) 767-5032 to schedule an evaluation, and let’s work together to improve your child’s quality of life.