Speech Therapy for Apraxia
Understanding Apraxia
Children who have difficultly saying certain syllables or sounds may have apraxia. Apraxia is a motor speech disorder. Children with apraxia usually know what they want to say, but they can’t pronounce a word or phrase correctly. These children have muscles that don’t perform normally because their brains do not direct or coordinate movements correctly. A speech therapist at Strategies for Success can help strengthen motor skills through exercises that emphasize vowel differentiation and help with articulation. Our therapists work with children to develop their brain to muscle connection. The goal is to coordinate their movements of the lips, jaw, and tongue so they can produce accurate sounds and spoken words with normal rhythm and speed.
Symptoms of Apraxia
Symptoms of children with apraxia between the age of 18 months and 2 years old are:
- A limited number of spoken words
- The ability to form only a few consonants or vowel sounds
- A delay of a child’s first words
During our initial evaluation, we look for weaknesses in the jaw, lips or tongue. Symptoms of apraxia may be difficult to diagnose because they can be unique from child to child. Symptoms of apraxia are also similar to other disorders. Our therapists are very experienced to diagnose children with apraxia. After analysis, if your child does have apraxia, we can develop an individualized therapy plan for your child’s needs. Call Strategies for Success to schedule an initial evaluation at 408-515-4037.