Apraxia
What is Apraxia?
Apraxia is a motor speech disorder that affects a person’s ability to plan and coordinate the movements needed for speech. Individuals with apraxia know what they want to say, but their brains have difficulty directing the muscles required for speech production. This results in speech that may sound jumbled or unclear, even though the person understands language and knows what they want to communicate.
Characteristics of Apraxia?
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Inconsistent speech errors: Words may sound different each time they are spoken, even if the individual is trying to say the same word.
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Difficulty with speech sounds: The person may have trouble pronouncing sounds correctly or may leave out sounds in words.
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Slow and effortful speech: Speech may be labored, as the individual struggles to coordinate the necessary movements.
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Excessive pauses and groping for sounds: The person may pause frequently while speaking or make facial expressions as they search for the correct speech sound.
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Difficulty with longer words or sentences: Complex words or sentences may be harder to articulate clearly.