Does your child know exactly what they want to say but have difficulty getting the words out? Maybe a sound does not come out as intended, or the same word sounds different each time they say it.
If your child’s speech is hard to understand or varies unexpectedly from one attempt to the next, these may be signs of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Understanding what CAS can look like can help you recognize when it may be time to seek professional support.
What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
CAS is a motor speech disorder that affects the brain’s ability to plan and coordinate the movements speech requires. Your child knows what they want to say, but their brain has difficulty directing the lips, tongue, and jaw through the correct sequence of movements.
That is why your child may pronounce the same word differently each time, have trouble putting sounds together, or find it difficult to speak clearly and consistently.
What Are the Early Signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
CAS shows up differently in every child, but possible signs include:
- Saying the same word a different way each time
- Struggling to blend sounds into a word
- Using fewer consonant and vowel sounds than expected for their age
- Saying short, simple words more easily than longer ones
- Pausing or breaking between sounds and syllables
- Stressing the wrong syllable in a word
- Visibly working to find the right mouth position before producing a sound
- Becoming frustrated when others cannot understand them
No single sign confirms that your child has CAS. Several of these patterns can also occur with other speech and language difficulties. A comprehensive evaluation by a speech-language pathologist can help determine whether your child’s challenges are related to CAS or another speech or language disorder.
The Importance of Early Intervention for Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Some speech difficulties improve naturally as children develop, but CAS typically does not resolve without treatment. Because the disorder affects the brain’s ability to plan and coordinate speech movements, your child needs targeted therapy to develop clearer, more consistent speech.
Starting early matters. Early therapy gives your child opportunities to practice the skills needed for clearer, more effective communication. With consistent practice, speaking can gradually become easier and less frustrating, helping your child participate more confidently in conversations, classroom activities, and everyday social situations.
How Speech Therapy Helps Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Your child’s pediatric speech therapist creates a plan based on their current skills, interests, and goals. A play-based approach helps keep your child engaged and motivated during speech practice.
During sessions, your child may practice sounds, words, and short phrases through games, songs, rhymes, and other activities they enjoy. Their therapist may show your child where to place their lips and tongue for different sounds, practice the movements with them, and use a mirror to help them see what their mouth is doing. Practice typically begins with simpler sounds and words before progressing to longer words, phrases, and sentences.
Your child’s therapist will also show you how to include brief, low-pressure speech practice at home to reinforce what your child is learning without making talking feel stressful.
Reach Out to Building Futures for Support
If your child’s speech is inconsistent or difficult to understand, and you live in the Monroe, West Monroe, or Ruston, LA, area, Building Futures Pediatric Therapy can help. Call the clinic nearest you or fill out our online form to schedule an evaluation.
