Apraxia: How Speech Therapy Helps Children Improve Communication
Apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to plan, coordinate, and produce the movements needed for clear speech. Even when a child knows what they want to say, the message from their brain to their mouth does not connect smoothly which leads to unclear words, inconsistent speech, or difficulty being understood.
At Swift Health, our pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP) helps children develop the motor skills and confidence needed to communicate effectively.
What Is Apraxia?
Apraxia is not caused by muscle weakness. Instead, it occurs when the brain has difficulty planning the precise movements of the lips, tongue, and jaw.
Common signs of childhood apraxia include:
• Difficulty imitating sounds or words
• Inconsistent speech errors
• Groping mouth movements
• Trouble sequencing sounds and syllables
• Reduced intelligibility (hard to understand)
• Better understanding than verbal expression
• Slow progress in speech despite practice
How Speech Therapy Helps Children With Apraxia
- 1. Motor-Based Speech Therapy
- Therapy focuses on teaching the specific movements needed for clear speech through repeated practice.
- 2. Multi-Sensory Cueing Techniques
- Our SLP uses visual, tactile, and auditory cues to support sound production.
- 3. High-Repetition Practice
- High-frequency practice helps build motor memory and improve clarity.
- 4. Breaking Down Speech Into Steps
- Children move from simple sounds to syllables, words, and short phrases.
- 5. Engaging, Play-Based Activities
- Therapy remains fun through toys, games, movement, and child-led activities.
Signs Your Child May Benefit from a Speech Therapy Assessment:
- Difficulty being understood
- Inconsistent errors
- Struggles with imitation
- Limited vocabulary growth
- Communication frustration
What Makes Swift Health’s Approach Effective:
- Individualized therapy plans
- Evidence-based motor speech approaches
- Play-based learning
- Parent coaching and home strategies
- A supportive, child-centered environment
Conclusion
Apraxia can be challenging, but early, targeted speech therapy can help children improve clarity, confidence, and overall communication. Swift Health is here to support your child every step of the way.
Contact Swift Health to book a pediatric speech assessment today! http://swifthealth.ca/connect