Speech Therapy for Children With Apraxia

Childhood apraxia of speech is characterized by difficulty saying certain sounds, syllables, words and phrases, as well as trouble using proper emphasis on words in sentences. The child knows what she wants to say but has problems saying it correctly or consistently. Apraxia is a brain disorder rather than a problem with muscle weakness or paralysis. Children with apraxia typically benefit from speech therapy.

Evaluation

• Since apraxia varies greatly among individuals, the speech-language therapist thoroughly evaluates each child to assess his particular areas of difficulty. The therapist rules out hearing loss and checks for facial muscle weakness and any coordination difficulties. She determines how well the child uses vowel and consonant sounds, how proficient he is at speaking words and sentences, and how well he uses pitch and pauses while speaking.

Frequency

• According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, research shows that children with apraxia have more success when receiving intensive treatment between three and five times per week. They also do better when the therapist works with them one-on-one rather than in groups. In these sessions, the child should be speaking much of the time. The therapist can set up play situations where the child can repeat names of objects and actions. The child also might like pretending to talk for dolls and stuffed animals.

Specifics

• The child practices various aspects of speech during therapy sessions. She can watching herself in the mirror, learning how to shape sounds more effectively by watching her lips and tongue move. She learns to integrate tactile sensations of her mouth, lips, tongue and teeth, because some children with apraxia have not learned how to use a certain oral area effectively. For instance, she might not understand how to touch her tongue to the roof of her mouth. The therapist coaches her in changing her mouth movements to improve her speech.

Family Participation

• Families can help in the speech therapy process. The therapist may give the family projects to help the child progress at home. Parents of children with apraxia must realize that improvement takes time and commitment, and the child needs a supportive environment. There also must be a balance between intensive practice and rest, so the child does not become tired and discouraged.

Improvements

• As children with apraxia improve, they can have less frequent therapy sessions and eventually move to group therapy. After speech therapy is discontinued, the child should be re-evaluated in the future to make sure no new difficulties are developing and no previous issues are recurring.