Apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder that can make speaking difficult. It affects the brain pathways involved in speech and can cause problems with coordinating the movements necessary for speech.

To produce speech, the brain must send signals to the mouth and the surrounding muscles. Apraxia of speech impairs the brain pathways that are necessary for planning and coordinating movements for speech. As a result, the signals from the brain do not properly reach the mouth. This condition can make it difficult for a person to speak.

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Apraxia is a neurological condition that can prevent a person from performing a familiar task or movement, even though they understand the task and want to do it. Even if a person with apraxia has both the desire and the capacity to perform the action, they cannotTrusted Source execute it.

As the name suggests, apraxia of speech (AOS)Trusted Source is apraxia that causes a person to have difficulty saying what they want correctly and consistently.

AOS affects the brain pathways that are involved in planning the sequence of movements necessary to produce speech. The person knows what they are trying to say but cannot properly plan and sequence the speech sound movements.

AOS differs from dysarthria, which involves weakness or paralysis of the muscles a person uses for speech. AOS is also differentTrusted Source from aphasia, which impairs a person’s ability to use or understand certain words.

The severity of AOS can vary. In milder cases, it may cause difficulty with only a few sounds or with the pronunciation of words with many syllables. In severe cases, a person may not be able to communicate effectively through speech and may need to use alternative communication methods.

There are two main types of AOS:

Acquired AOS

Acquired AOS can affect a person at any age but mostly occurs in adults. It typically results from damage to the parts of the brain that control the muscles involved in speech. Possible causes include:

Acquired AOS may also occur with other conditions that result from damage to the nervous system. Examples include dysarthria (a group of speech disorders that result from muscle weakness) and aphasia (a language disorder that can affect a person’s use of language).

Childhood AOS

This type of AOS is present from birth. In many cases, the exact cause is unknown, but it may result from a genetic condition or syndrome. Evidence also suggests that children with AOS often have family members with a history of communication disorders or learning disabilities.

Childhood AOS differs from developmental delays in speech, which occur when a child follows the typical path of speech development but does so more slowly than is typical.

AOS is a complex condition, and the severity and symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people may experience a few symptoms, while others have many. In mild cases, a person may still be able to communicate effectively, whereas a severe case can cause great difficulty with speaking.

Childhood AOS symptoms

Possible symptoms of childhood AOS can include:

  • not pronouncing words the same way every time
  • placing stress on the wrong syllable or word
  • distorting or changing sounds
  • pronouncing shorter words more clearly than longer words
  • experiencing delays in language
  • having problems with reading, spelling, and writing
  • having difficulty with fine motor skills

Acquired AOS symptoms

Many symptoms of acquired AOS are similar to those of childhood AOS. These may include:

  • having difficulty imitating and saying sounds, which may involve adding or leaving out sounds or saying them incorrectly
  • not pronouncing words the same way every time
  • groping (moving the lips and tongue while trying to speak)
  • speaking slowly
  • easily pronouncing frequently used words but having difficulty with other words
  • not being able to say any sounds at all (in severe cases)

Receiving a diagnosis of either acquired AOS or childhood AOS will typically involve working with a speech-language pathologist (SLP). An SLP is a communication expert who diagnoses and treats speech, language, and swallowing problems. In addition to taking a person’s medical history, an SLP will look for symptoms that can indicate AOS.

For childhood AOS, an SLP will use various methods to assess a child’s speech. For example, the SLP may ask the child to repeat the same word or syllable several times or ask them to read from a list of increasingly long words.

After a person experiences a stroke or another type of brain injury, healthcare professionals may advise that they undergo an evaluation for AOS. The diagnostic process is similar and may involve a variety of assessments of a person’s speech and pronunciation.

Healthcare professionals will also rule out related conditions such as:

  • aphasia
  • dysarthria
  • muscle weakness
  • hearing disorders

Treatment for AOS will typically include speech-language therapy. This involves working with an SLP, who will use a variety of techniques to help a person improve their communication. An SLP will customize their approach to address each person’s specific speech difficulties.

For childhood AOS, a child may begin with therapy 3 to 5 times per week. However, as their speech improves, they may need treatment less often. Treatment will aim to help a child plan the movements necessary to say certain sounds and learn how to make those movements the right way at the right time.

Similarly, treatment for acquired AOS will usually focus on getting the muscles to move correctly, which may include teaching the muscles to make sounds again.

In more severe cases, treatment may involve learning augmentative and alternative communication methods. For example, a person may learn to communicate by using simple hand gestures, writing, pointing to pictures, or using a computer.

Apraxia of speech is a neurological condition that can cause difficulties with speech. It results from problems with brain pathways that are necessary to coordinate movements for speech. When AOS is present from birth, it is known as childhood AOS. When it occurs as a result of brain damage, such as a stroke, it is known as acquired AOS.

Diagnosing AOS will involve an assessment with a speech-language pathologist (SLP). An SLP will also provide treatment, which will usually include speech therapy. In more severe cases, treatment may involve learning alternative forms of communication.