As November approaches, Forte Speech & Language Therapy, a clinic that offers speech therapy in Los Angeles, has announced the release of a new report outlining the causes of childhood apraxia of speech. 

Childhood apraxia of speech is a complex speech disorder affecting approximately 1 in 1,000 children. It is a developmental condition characterized by differences in a child’s ability to coordinate the muscles necessary for producing speech. It often leads to significant challenges in communication, which can impact both social skills and academic performance. 

The report, which can be found on their website, explores some of the known causes of this disorder. However, it does acknowledge that in most cases, the cause is unknown. 

“That is what’s called an ‘idiopathic’ speech disorder,” the report says. 

In fact, researchers don’t yet understand what causes childhood apraxia of speech. They do, however, understand some potential factors that may contribute to childhood apraxia of speech. In particular, the report cites a paper noting that roughly 1 in 3 kids with childhood apraxia of speech have a particular genetic variant. How this relates to the development of childhood apraxia of speech, however, isn’t yet understood. 

Other contributing factors may include chromosomal disorders like Down syndrome, neurodevelopmental differences like autism, neurological disorders like cerebral palsy, and others. 

However, the report stresses that the development of childhood apraxia of speech has nothing to do with parental neglect. 

“You may feel worried that it was something you did,” the report says. “But take a deep breath – it isn’t your fault. There is no evidence linking childhood apraxia of speech with parenting style or neglect.” 

Childhood apraxia of speech is also not related to a child’s intelligence or ability to understand language. In fact, according to ASHA - the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association - children with this disorder generally know what they want to say. The difference is a disruption in their brain’s ability to communicate with the muscles involved in speech production. 

Parents who suspect their child may have childhood apraxia of speech are encouraged to book an evaluation with a speech-language pathologist. 

Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs for short, are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of speech, language, and communication disorders. This includes childhood apraxia of speech. 

“Childhood apraxia of speech is a relatively less common speech disorder,” says a spokesperson from Forte Speech & Language Therapy. “As a result, parents aren’t always aware of it until their child begins to present with signs of it. But early intervention speech therapy for childhood apraxia of speech can make a world of difference. We urge parents to trust their instincts. If something seems off, it’s worth discussing with an SLP.”

About the Company:

Forte Speech & Language Therapy was founded in 2022 by Shawn Krumholz, MS, CCC-SLP, and Kylie Puckett, MS, CCC-SLP. They offer pediatric speech therapy in Los Angeles for childhood apraxia of speech and a wide variety of other speech and language delays and disorders. They offer both in-home speech therapy and speech teletherapy sessions across California. Those interested are encouraged to visit the clinic’s website, linked above, or to contact them via phone or email.

Media Contact
Company Name: Forte Speech & Language Therapy
Contact Person: Shawn Krumholz and Kylie Puckett
Email: Send Email
Phone: +1 (818) 208 0027
City: Los Angeles
State: California
Country: United States
Website: https://www.fortespeech.com/