At Speech & Occupational Therapy of North Texas, our pediatric speech-language pathologists specialize in treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). CAS is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to plan and coordinate the movements needed for clear speech.
What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Childhood Apraxia of Speech occurs when the brain has difficulty sending accurate messages to the muscles needed for speech. The muscles themselves are not weak, but the planning and sequencing of movements is disrupted.
Children with CAS may:
- Say the same word differently each time
- Have difficulty transitioning between sounds
- Struggle with longer words or sentences
- Use limited consonants or vowels
- Show visible effort when speaking
- Become frustrated trying to communicate
Examples of Speech Characteristics
A child with CAS may:
- Omit or distort sounds
- Stress the wrong syllables
- Pause between sounds or words
- Have difficulty imitating words
- Use simplified speech patterns
- Have better receptive than expressive language
These patterns are inconsistent and may vary from day to day.
How Speech Therapy Helps
Children with CAS benefit from frequent, intensive, and structured therapy focusing on motor planning.
Therapy May Focus On:
✔ Repeated practice of sound sequences
✔ Building accurate movement patterns
✔ Improving speech clarity
✔ Increasing sound combinations
✔ Improving prosody (rhythm and stress)
✔ Strengthening speech coordination
Evidence-Based Treatment Approach
Our therapists use motor-based treatment approaches. Therapy is individualized and progresses from simple to complex speech movements.
Benefits of CAS Therapy
Speech therapy helps children:
✔ Increase speech intelligibility
✔ Improve confidence
✔ Reduce frustration
✔ Develop stronger communication skills
✔ Participate more fully at school and home
