Apraxia of Speech in Children: Signs, Diagnosis & Therapy

By DrSensory — Supporting Speech, Language, and Motor Development

📌 What Is This?

A practical tool to help parents and caregivers recognize early signs of Childhood

Apraxia of Speech (CAS). If you check several of these boxes, consider seeking a professional evaluation by a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP).

🧠 Motor Speech Red Flags

Early Development

• ☐ My child had limited babbling or cooing as a baby
• ☐ My child spoke their first words later than expected (after 15–18 months)
• ☐ They struggle to combine sounds into words
• ☐ My child often drops sounds or syllables when talking
• ☐ Their speech is very hard to understand compared to peers

Inconsistent & Effortful Speech

• ☐ The same word sounds different each time they say it
• ☐ My child’s speech seems effortful or “groping” (e.g., moving their mouth a lot to find the right sound)
• ☐ They struggle to imitate even simple sounds or words
• ☐ My child gets frustrated when trying to speak or explain something
• ☐ They sometimes “freeze” or pause before saying words

Unusual Sound Patterns

• ☐ My child speaks with a flat, robotic, or choppy tone (monotone prosody)
• ☐ They rely heavily on filler words like “uh” or “um”
• ☐ Some learned words “disappear” from their vocabulary
• ☐ They understand language better than they can speak it

🛠️ What You Can Try at Home

• ✅ Encourage slow, relaxed speech with simple phrases
• ✅ Use visual supports (pictures, gestures, AAC apps)
• ✅ Repeat words often in fun, everyday routines
• ✅ Celebrate effort over perfection
• ✅ Keep sessions short and play-based (5–10 min bursts)

🧑‍⚕️ When to Seek Help

You should consider a speech-language evaluation if:

• Your child has very few words by age 2
• Speech is extremely difficult to understand after age 3

They show signs of frustration or withdrawal when trying to communicate

👉 Find a Speech Therapist Who Specializes in Apraxia at DrSensory

💡 Reminder:

Apraxia is not caused by laziness or lack of intelligence. It’s a neurological condition—and with early, consistent therapy, many children with apraxia go on to speak clearly and confidently.