Local residents trying to raise awareness about childhood apraxia of speech and the resources available to help children early who face communication challenges.
Speech-language pathologist Maesa Chaffin said the disorder occurs when the brain’s motor plan for speech becomes scrambled before reaching the facial muscles, making it difficult for children to produce clear sounds.
“We’re very excited for the acknowledgement of childhood apraxia speech,” Chaffin said. “It really, like you’ve already noticed, brings up questions, people are wondering about it. It gives people a chance to maybe look at their own kids’ challenges and seek additional help if they’re noticing similar challenges. It means that the public can be more aware and more patient with those kids who are struggling with their communication. I’m very grateful that this day has been recognized.”
Chaffin said parents should monitor for symptoms such as limited understandable words by age two, inconsistent errors when repeating the same word, and distorted vowel sounds. Chaffin said children with apraxia may also struggle with prosody, which involves the rhythm and intonation used to distinguish between a statement and a question.
“The earlier that we can get in, the easier it is to sort of intercept these motor plans and help the child establish proper motor plans as they acquire more language and learn more language,” Chaffin said. “This way we’re right there with them teaching them as they learn the words to get them out with a good motor plan. It’s sort of like any habit, you know, if you don’t see a child until they’re seven years old, you’re now dealing with a seven-year habit instead of seeing a child at three or four, that’s a much easier habit to intercept and support.”
Chaffin said the disorder often leads to social withdrawal or academic hesitation because children realize early on that they speak differently than their peers. Chaffin said increased awareness among neighbors, grandparents, and friends provides “more eyes on kids” to recommend early intervention.
“You know, I think a big one is just patience,” Chaffin said. “I think it’s easy to see a child who, you know, you think is maybe six years old and they can’t ask you nicely where the restroom is and sometimes as adults it’s easy for us to not be aware or forget that these challenges exist even at such a young age. And so it allows the community around these kids who are trying their hardest to engage to be patient with them and to support them.”
Chaffin said severe speech delays can lead to secondary challenges in reading and mathematics as children progress through school. Chaffin said informed parents can better advocate for their children by requesting specific accommodations through Individualized Education Programs or 504 plans.
“Well, some of the challenges that come with a severe speech delay are things that are like delays in reading, delays in math learning, those kinds of things,” Chaffin said. “And so if parents are aware and they can go to the schools and they can request services like through an IEP or 504 plan, you know, they can really advocate for their child and that way that allows schools and teachers to be prepared that they need to accommodate for these things, you know. And I really think it allows for that empowerment and that self-advocacy for families.”
Chaffin said apraxia is a difficult diagnosis to nail down because it can be both over-diagnosed and under-diagnosed due to its similarity to other speech disorders. Chaffin said many therapists will categorize a case as “suspected” childhood apraxia of speech while observing how a child responds to specific interventions over time.
“I just think apraxia is one of those diagnoses that is tough to identify as a speech therapist,” Chaffin said. “It’s one that takes some patience and some kind of teasing apart symptoms and it’s easy for a severe speech disorder to look like a few different versions of a diagnosis, you know. And so just understanding that the challenges that these kids face are they can be very profound and impact every aspect of their lives as they navigate engaging with their families and schools and churches and friend groups and that the speech therapists and the parents and the doctors are all working their best to make sure that the most accurate and most helpful diagnosis is given to these kids.”
Chaffin said local resources include a new support group at Hawthorn Therapy and the national organization Apraxia Kids, which hosts an annual awareness walk in Nashville.
“Yeah, I think making sure that you really talk to the therapist and ask lots of questions so that you feel confident that they feel comfortable making this diagnosis,” Chaffin said. “And if you’re not sure, if you don’t feel totally confident or if the therapist doesn’t feel totally confident, making sure that families know there are resources out there for them to find that provider for them.”