Motor Speech Disorder

A motor speech disorder, also known as Apraxia, is a condition in which individuals have difficulty planning and coordinating the precise movements needed for speech, despite having the desire and cognitive ability to communicate. In children, this is referred to as Childhood Apraxia of Speech, where they struggle to plan and coordinate the movements necessary to produce speech sounds. While they know what they want to say, there is a disconnect that prevents them from directing their vocal tract to produce the correct sounds. Although their facial muscles are strong and functional, they have difficulty organizing them into the proper sequences required for speech. As a result, children with CAS may have trouble pronouncing specific sounds and may struggle with more complex words and sentences.

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Children with motor speech difficulties show varying signs depending on age and task complexity.

• Difficulty pronouncing words correctly, especially longer words or complex sounds.

• Inconsistent errors in speech production, with sounds or words varying each time they are attempted.

• Difficulty imitating speech sounds or words.

• Longer pauses between sounds, syllables, or words while speaking.

• Difficulty coordinating mouth and facial muscles to produce speech sounds.

• Limited vocabulary compared to peers, with slow or delayed speech development.

• Trouble producing clear, fluid speech despite understanding language and wanting to communicate.

• Difficulty with oral motor tasks like chewing or swallowing (in some cases).

 

How can we help?

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Early intervention is vital for preventing long-term speech issues, especially with conditions like Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), where early treatment greatly improves outcomes. If you suspect your child has CAS, it’s important to consult a speech-language pathologist, as its symptoms can resemble other speech disorders. CAS can be acquired or have a neurological origin, but in either case, speech therapy is crucial for teaching coordination of speech sounds and developing new neural pathways to improve motor skills. Intensive, consistent therapy is essential for enhancing speech muscle coordination, and our speech-language pathologists will work with your child to improve communication and manage CAS effectively.

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Our treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech focuses on improving the planning, sequencing, and coordination of muscle movements required for speech production. By practicing speech patterns, children can improve their ability to sequence sounds both within and between words, as well as enhance their prosody and fluidity. Since their muscles are strong enough to produce speech sounds, therapy uses sensory feedback to help them better coordinate these muscles. Therapy sessions incorporate tactile “touch” cues, visual cues (such as using a mirror), and auditory feedback to support this coordination. With such feedback from multiple senses, children can more easily repeat syllables, words, and sentences, improving muscle coordination and sequencing. Additionally, speech therapy helps establish new neural pathways, making motor coordination more efficient. Consistent and intensive therapy is essential for strengthening the motor coordination of speech muscles.