Early sign of childhood apraxia of speech
Our speech therapists find that apraxia is not typically a very common diagnosis, but early detection is key to getting your child the help they need! Here are some early signs of childhood apraxia of speech and what you should do if you think it applies to your child.
Early Signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech:
There are many signs of childhood apraxia, some of the more common ones that are easy for a parent to spot out are :
Your child didn’t babble much as an infant
Struggle to say longer, more complex words
Inconsistent with their speech. They might be able to say certain words or sounds one day, but might not be able to say the same words and sounds at another point in time.
Relies heavily on nonverbal communication
Failure to say consonant sounds at the beginning and/or end of words
What is Apraxia of Speech:
Apraxia of speech is a neurological condition that affects the brain pathways that are necessary to produce speech. A child may know exactly what they want to say, but are unable to plan and sequence the required movements to produce speech sounds. Apraxia symptoms can vary greatly from one individual to another. One person might only struggle to communicate a few speech sounds where other individuals may need to learn alternative communication methods such as an AAC device or sign language.
Childhood Apraxia Treatment:
If you think your child may have Apraxia of speech, come into our clinic for a free consultation with one of our licensed speech therapists. Apraxia is not something that a child will simply outgrow on their own without treatment. A licensed speech therapist can work with your child to improve their speech through several different techniques:
Repeatedly working on how to form and pronounce speech sounds and words
Combining various sounds to make speech
Speech therapists can demonstrate proper oral motor movements to produce speech sounds using various cues
Speech therapists may use their hands to help your child make the proper facial movements to produce speech sounds
This is just a brief overview of Childhood Apraxia of Speech, if you have any concerns, early detection is key. Please feel free to contact us with any concerns you may have for your child!