Neural Conditions: Apraxia of Speech

Written by: Caroline Kim

August 17, 2024

A topic briefly mentioned last week was the neurodegenerative disorder known as Apraxia of Speech (AOS). There are two variations of Apraxia: acquired AOS and childhood AOS. Acquired AOS can affect individuals of any age and is due to damage in parts of the brian that are responsible for speech and communication; this may be due to events such as a stroke, head injury, or brain tumor (National Institute of Health). In the latter condition, childhood AOS is present from birth and can be characterized as a developmental condition, suggesting that it may be genetic (National Institute of Health).  Childhood apraxia is a rare condition affecting only 1-2 children per 1000 (Cleveland Clinic medical professional). Mayo Clinic describes childhood AOS as a speech disorder in which the brain has difficulty planning the movement of speech; this includes trouble controlling the jaws, lips and tongue during speech. It is important to note however, that childhood AOS is not due to weakness/paralysis of muscles in the jaw. 

Symptoms of childhood AOS include but are not limited to less babbling in ages 7-12 months, late start of speech in 12-18 month olds, and leaving out sounds when speaking, and vowel/consonant distortions (Mayo Clinic Staff). Additional symptoms may involve groping for sounds and errors in tone/stress/rhythm (National Institute of Health). 

Causes for Apraxia are often ambiguous, but may be due to brian injury, brain conditions, stroke, genetic condition, or metabolic condition (Mayo Clinic Staff). According to Mayo Clinic, children with apraxia often also have accompanying problems with communication such as delayed motor development, fine motor skills, and social interactions. In childhood AOS, research is benign conducted to explore the hereditary factors and abnormalities in the brain that could be responsible for AOS (National Institute of Health). 

Treatment of childhood apraxia often involves speech therapy in which the “speech-language pathologist teaches the child to practice the correct way to say words, syllables and phrases” (Mayo Clinic Staff). While there aren’t many preventative measures for childhood apraxia, diagnosing it at an early stage and working with a speech-language pathologist can be beneficial. In more progressive and severe cases of AOS, alternative communication methods may be sought out such as sign language or an electronic communication device (National Institute of Health). For more material on the neurochemistry and research on childhood AOS, reference the link on the main home page under “Neuroscience of AOS”. 

Sources:

1. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Childhood Apraxia of Speech.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 5 Aug. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-apraxia-of-speech/symptoms-causes/syc-20352045. Accessed 10 Aug. 2024. 

2. Cleveland Clinic medical professional. “Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) / Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia (DVD) / Developmental Apraxia of Speech (Das).” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17911-childhood-apraxia-of-speech. Accessed 10 Aug. 2024. 

3. National Institute of Health. “Apraxia of Speech.” National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/apraxia-speech. Accessed 10 Aug. 2024. 

4. Fiori, Simona et al. “Neuroanatomical correlates of childhood apraxia of speech: A connectomic approach.” NeuroImage. Clinical vol. 12 894-901. 4 Nov. 2016, doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2016.11.003