Childhood Apraxia of Speech

At Expressable, we’ve worked with countless children diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech, helping them make meaningful progress toward clearer, more confident communication. Our personalized, evidence-based speech therapy focuses on motor planning and speech coordination, giving children the foundational skills they need to express themselves.

Childhood apraxia of speech, also called CAS, is a motor speech disorder that affects a child’s ability to plan and coordinate the mouth movements needed for speech. While children with apraxia know what they want to say, their brains have difficulty sending the correct signals to the muscles involved in speaking.

This disconnect can make it hard to form sounds into syllables, syllables into words, and words into sentences. As a result, a child’s speech may be hard to understand, especially as they attempt longer or more complex words and phrases.

No two children with apraxia are exactly alike, but common symptoms of apraxia may include:

• Inconsistent speech errors: A child might pronounce the same word differently each time they say it.

• Sound distortions: Sounds may come out incorrectly, especially vowels and multisyllabic words.

• Groping for sounds: Children may visibly struggle to move their mouth correctly to say a word.

• Unusual rhythm and intonation: Speech may sound choppy or segmented, with misplaced stress or pauses.

• Difficulty initiating voluntary speech: Saying something on command may be much harder than automatic speech, like singing a song.

This guide explains Expressable’s clinical approach to evaluating and treating childhood apraxia of speech. Learn more about the techniques, exercises, and support we offer to help children with apraxia find their voice and use it with confidence. You can also view our complete guide to childhood apraxia of speech to learn more about the causes and symptoms of apraxia, as well as tips for supporting your child’s speech at home.

1Why is speech therapy important for childhood apraxia of speech? 2How Expressable treats childhood apraxia of speech 3Practice apraxia strategies at home with the Expressable portal 4The benefits of online speech therapy for childhood apraxia of speech 5See what families of children with apraxia are saying about our speech therapists 6Get matched with a speech therapist for apraxia today

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Why is speech therapy important for childhood apraxia of speech?

Childhood apraxia of speech is not caused by low intelligence, hearing loss, or a lack of effort. It’s a motor-planning disorder that affects a child’s ability to coordinate the muscle movements needed for speech. Unfortunately, apraxia is often misunderstood—and without the right support, it can significantly affect a child’s ability to express themselves clearly and confidently.

Apraxia of speech is not something that children outgrow on their own. Speech therapy is needed to help children with apraxia develop the skills needed to communicate. Because the brain has difficulty sending the right signals to the mouth muscles, children benefit from consistent, structured practice guided by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), also known as a speech therapist.

At Expressable, our therapy approach for apraxia focuses on:

• Using evidence-based techniques to improve speech sound production, motor planning, and coordination

• Helping your child communicate clearly so they can thrive at school, socially, and emotionally

• Teaching parents and caregivers how to support speech development at home with activities and strategies that reinforce progress

• Building communication skills that enhance your child’s ability to express their needs, ideas, and personality every day

Therapy for apraxia of speech takes time and consistency—but with the right approach and support, children can make incredible progress!

How Expressable treats childhood apraxia of speech

Expressable connects families with licensed speech therapists who are trained to evaluate and treat childhood apraxia of speech. All therapy is delivered online through secure, face-to-face video sessions on Zoom.

Research shows that online speech therapy is just as effective as in-person treatment for apraxia of speech. Teletherapy for apraxia offers convenience, removes travel barriers, and makes it easier for parents and caregivers to be involved. That’s especially important for a motor-planning disorder like apraxia.

Our therapists work closely with families to teach practical, at-home strategies that reinforce what’s learned in therapy, so kids make faster progress.

In fact, parent and caregiver coaching is central to Expressable’s approach. Children with apraxia need frequent, consistent practice to make progress. So, caregivers play a critical role in supporting and practicing with their child between sessions. Our therapists work closely with families to teach practical, at-home strategies that reinforce what’s learned in therapy. This helps children make faster progress.

Therapy for childhood apraxia of speech typically includes two or more sessions per week. Depending on your child’s age and communication needs, your speech therapist will tailor each session to focus on building motor planning, improving speech clarity, and developing functional communication skills.

Apraxia of Speech

The Ultimate Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Causes, Signs, and Treatment

What is apraxia of speech? Learn how to spot the signs of apraxia in children and how childhood apraxia of speech is treated.

Alexis Irazoque, M.S., CCC-SLP

Expressable’s clinical approach to evaluating childhood apraxia of speech

Every child’s journey with apraxia is unique, so therapy begins with a comprehensive evaluation to understand your child’s strengths and challenges.

During the evaluation, your speech therapist may use a combination of informal and formal assessments, such as:

• Oral-motor exam: To assess the strength, coordination, and range of motion of the lips, tongue, jaw, and palate—and to rule out other causes of speech difficulty.

• Articulation and speech sound testing: To evaluate how your child produces consonants and vowels, with particular focus on inconsistent sound errors, a hallmark of apraxia.

• Dynamic motor speech evaluation: The therapist will prompt your child to imitate speech sounds, words, and phrases while observing how they respond to different types of cues, such as slowed speech or visual models.

• Observation of communication intentions: To understand how your child uses gestures, eye contact, or pointing to express themselves when speech is difficult.

When appropriate, your speech therapist may also use standardized tools like:

• The Kaufman Speech Praxis Test for Children (KSPT)

• The Apraxia Profile

• The Verbal Motor Production Assessment for Children (VMPAC)

This evaluation process helps determine whether your child has apraxia and guides the creation of a personalized treatment plan that fits their developmental level and communication goals.

Evidence-based strategies to treat childhood apraxia of speech

At Expressable, treatment for childhood apraxia of speech is individualized, consistent, and rooted in motor learning principles. Our goal is to help your child communicate more clearly and confidently by improving their speech sound accuracy, motor planning, and overall intelligibility.

Therapy for apraxia of speech is often intensive and relies on frequent, repetitive practice. This helps strengthen the brain’s ability to plan and coordinate the movements needed for speech. Our licensed speech therapists create personalized treatment plans based on your child’s current abilities and developmental needs. Your child’s therapy goals will change and evolve as they make progress.

Evidence-based strategies for apraxia often include:

• Frequent repetition of specific sounds to build automaticity and accuracy

• Integral stimulation techniques, where the therapist models a word or sound and the child repeats it—“watch me, listen to me, say it with me”

• Tactile and visual cues, such as showing how to shape the mouth or gently touching the lips to cue correct sound production

• Auditory discrimination activities, which help children learn to tell whether they said a sound or word correctly

• Structured cueing hierarchies, where support is gradually reduced as the child becomes more independent with their speech

• Core Vocabulary Approach, which helps children consistently say functional, high-priority words like family names, favorite objects, or routine phrases

In some cases, your speech therapist may introduce augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools. AAC allows people to speak without using words, with tools such as sign language, picture boards, or speech-generating devices. AAC helps reduce frustration and gives children a way to express themselves while they’re working on their verbal skills. For many children, AAC is a temporary stepping stone toward more natural speech.

Because progress with apraxia requires consistent practice outside of sessions, your therapist will coach you on how to support your child at home.

At Expressable, parents and caregivers are an essential part of treatment. Because progress with apraxia requires consistent practice outside of sessions, your therapist will coach you on how to support your child at home. You can practice apraxia exercises during your child’s daily routines, playtime, or with structured therapy activities. This will help “carry over” the progress made in therapy and lead to faster, more meaningful improvements.

Every child is different, and progress can vary widely. But with consistent therapy and caregiver support, children with apraxia of speech can make significant strides in their ability to speak and be understood.

Practice apraxia strategies at home with the Expressable portal

At Expressable, speech therapy doesn’t end when the session ends. You’ll have ongoing text messaging with your therapist, so you can ask questions, share updates, or get tips when you need them. In addition, our client portal makes it easy for parents and caregivers to practice speech skills at home, leading to more successful treatment for childhood apraxia of speech.

The more often your child practices, the more progress they’re likely to make. That’s why we provide tools and guidance to help you confidently support your child outside of sessions.

In the portal, you’ll find Learning Paths that explain and reinforce the strategies your speech therapist is using in sessions, such as multisensory cueing and delayed imitation. These techniques help your child plan and produce speech movements more accurately:

You can watch short videos that demonstrate real apraxia techniques, like miming, where children silently mouth a word to build motor planning skills before saying it out loud:

Your therapist will also assign personalized home practice based on your child’s goals. These activities are designed to fit naturally into your family’s routines, whether it’s practicing target sounds during snack time, or using visual cues during storytime. You’ll learn how to help your child with apraxia at home, in a way that’s engaging and supportive:

The benefits of online speech therapy for childhood apraxia of speech

Research and clinical experience continue to show that online speech therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy—especially when treating childhood apraxia of speech. And for many families, teletherapy is actually a better fit for their needs and lifestyle. Here’s why:

1 Wider access to qualified speech therapists

Childhood apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder that requires specialized knowledge to diagnose and treat. With online speech therapy, families aren’t limited to therapists in their immediate area. Instead, you can choose from a broad network of speech therapists with training and experience in apraxia, all licensed to treat children in your state.

This is especially helpful if you live in a rural area or somewhere with long waitlists for speech therapy services

2 Convenience and flexibility

Speech therapy for apraxia often requires frequent, consistent sessions. That can be tough to manage with packed family schedules. With online therapy, you don’t have to worry about travel time, traffic, or clinic hours that conflict with school or work.

At Expressable, you can schedule your child’s sessions when it works best for your family, including evenings and weekends. This makes it easier to stay consistent with therapy, which is critical for progress with apraxia.

3 A familiar and comfortable environment

Some children with apraxia may feel more confident and cooperative when they’re in their own home, surrounded by familiar toys and routines. Online therapy allows the speech therapist to see your child in their natural environment, which can help personalize therapy activities. They can even incorporate your child’s own toys, books, or routines into the session. That makes practice feel like play, and it makes it easier for you to repeat those activities between sessions.

4 Affordability

Because online speech therapy doesn’t carry the overhead costs of a brick-and-mortar clinic, it’s often more affordable than in-person services, while still delivering high-quality, individualized care. You receive the same expertise and personalized attention, often at a lower cost. At Expressable, we also partner with major health insurance plans around the country, making it easier than ever to access speech therapy treatment.

See what families of children with apraxia are saying about our speech therapists

We’ve treated hundreds of children with apraxia of speech around the country. Our speech therapists consistently earn ratings of 4.9 out of 5 stars from their clients. Here’s just a sampling:

“Therapy is worthwhile and fun” “[Our speech therapist] Madison has been amazing to work with. She has been professional and on time, knowledgeable in her field, and makes therapy for my daughter with childhood apraxia of speech worthwhile and fun.”

“Outstanding job” “Sofia did an outstanding job with my son and his speech apraxia.”

“She has impacted his daily life with speech skills” “Our therapist is professional, thorough and engaging with my 15 year old, who has apraxia. He has made tons of progress, and she explains in detail what the goals are and the plan to reach the goals. She challenges him to improve, but at the same time encourages him where he has already progressed. She has impacted his daily life with speech skills.”

Get matched with a speech therapist for apraxia today

If you’re concerned about your child’s speech, contact Expressable today for an expert evaluation. We’ll match you with a speech therapist who's experienced in your child's area of need and available when you are. Find the right speech therapist for your child here.