Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a speech disorder charactierized by the incapacity to program the positioning of speech muscles for articulation, phonation, resonation and respiration for the volitional production of phonemes. Childhood apraxia of speech is a neurologically based speech disorder that is caused by subtle brain impairment or malfunctioning.

Key characteristics may include but are not limited to the following:

• limited babbling as an infant
• limited repertoire of vowels and consonants
• delayed onset of speech
• variability of errors
• errors increase with length of utterances
• difficulty with spontaneous (self-initiated) speech
• disturbances of prosody
• visual signs of speech output difficulty
• impaired non-speech movements
• loss of apparently previously spoken words 

A child with speech apraxia will not simply "grow out of it". Apraxic children will need intensive services on an individual basis. The frequency of therapy is dependent on the severity of the child's speech-motor impairment, functional communication disorder, age and willingness to practice with parents/caregivers.

Childhood apraxia of speech is a complicated diagnosis that requires specific therapy. ACCESS has developed an area of expertise in this area, using specific therapy approaches that are effective and ideal for the treatment of apraxia. ACCESS includes training the family as part of the treatmet for children with this disorder.

Techniques used with childhood apraxia of speech include:

• Aided Language Stimulation - visual system that uses pictures and print to connect visual representation of a word with oral speech. This method encourages speech production.
• Visual literacy - uses visual cueing systems to assist children with severe communication disorders 
• The DuBard Association Method™ - an incremental method that teaches oral and written communication skills
• Multi-sensory, hands-on approach
• Intensive individual and integrated therapy

A good source of information for both parents and professionals is Apraxia-Kids.org.