Your child is quiet. When he talks, he gropes for the sounds, as if he is trying to find the best position for his mouth parts. Finally the sounds comes out, but they are not quite what they should sound. If your child happens to be chatty, you’d probably find yourself struggling to understand what he says. Welcome to the world of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).
What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)?
Childhood apraxia of speech or dyspraxia is a rare speech disorder in which the child has difficulties in planning and coordinating their speech muscle movements in the absence of any muscle weakness. Children with pure CAS can often understand language at the level of their peers, but has difficulties expressing themselves. Their words may be jumbled up, or their intonation and their inflection might be off. In some cases, these children do not say much at all. Here’s a good definition of Childhood Apraxia of Speech by ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association).
When we speak, messages are sent from our brain to our oral musculature to tell them how they should move to produce the correct sound. However, in children with CAS, these messages are disrupted, and they are unable to get their tongue and lips in the right place to produce the sound.
You can use the analogy of your TV (oral musculature) and a remote (brain). Sometimes when you dial up the volume, the TV flicks to a different channel. When you press the volume up again, the TV turns off. There is no consistency and correlation between what you want the TV to do and what it actually does.
If you find this frustrating, imagine what your child must feel when he is faced with this issue every time he wants to say something.
What can Parents do about Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
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#1: Get Professional Help
The most important thing for a parent of a child with CAS is to seek help. Leverage on brain plasticity while your child is young and don’t try to wait it out because childhood apraxia of speech usually does not resolve on its own. A speech therapist will be able to help you select targets to work on as well as coach you on how to improve your child’s intelligibility.
#2: Love your child
Your child may require more attention and resources, but always remember: she did not ask to have CAS. Know that despite all the frustrations, she is trying her very best. Your unconditional love and support is the key to helping her overcome this hurdle.
#3: Be Patient
Since children with CAS have problems coordinating their movements, they may need more time to plan and sequence. So when talking to your child, make sure that you give him ample time to talk.
Also, wait and don’t try to complete his sentence as doing so can interrupt his chain of thoughts. In addition, your child may come to over-rely on you reading his mind, thus robbing him of an opportunity for practice.
One last point about patience. Talking may be a long time away and it could be years before your child can talk like other children. Be patient and be there for him. Hold his hand as he take baby steps towards clearer speech.
#4: Work on Social Skills
Just because your child cannot talk properly does not mean that she has no need for friends. Teach her play and social skills just like you would with any children. Don’t neglect eye contact, turn-taking and joint attention. Arrange play dates, and encourage her to play with others.
Also, be her advocate. Talk to other parents and children to help them understand about childhood apraxia of speech. Encourage them to be patient with and not to make fun of her. Doing so will provide her with a safe environment to blossom and grow.
#5: Improve her Understanding of language
Your child needs to build up him language skills so that he can understand and express himself. So make sure that you read to him and talk to him often. Point out things in his environment. Use language that is appropriate for his level. Encourage him to use language, be it with words, signs or AAC to help him hone it.
#6: Be Prepared to Learn and Teach New Skills
While your child is working on her speech, she may need an alternative form of communication like signs or AAC to express herself. So be prepared to pick up new skills as you will also have to learn to use these devices or signs in order to understand her.
To help her join in the conversation with other family members, you will also have to take on the role of teacher. Coach family members and close friends with the skills you have learnt.
#7: Carry Out Your Homework
Speech therapy is best likened to learning how to play the piano. The teacher assesses the child and coaches him on new skills. The child will then need to practice them at home in order to improve and get better.
In fact, research from the University of Sydney estimates that a child with CAS needs hundreds of repetitions in order to build the muscle memory that is needed to say a word.
Therefore, regular practice is crucial to help your child improve and it is imperative that you work on the speech homework that your speech therapist has assigned. Skipping practice deprives your child of the practice she needs to work on her intelligibility so make sure to set time aside for these practice.
See also: The Complete Guide to Cueing for Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Conclusion
The road towards intelligible speech for childhood apraxia of speech is long and hard. But with the love and dedication of their parents and speech therapists, children with CAS can and do get better. So don’t give up and never underestimate the impact that you have on child’s life.
What else can parents do to help their children with CAS?
