It is also considered a subset of speech sound disorder. However, it falls under motor speech deficit as the problem lies in the motor programming and planning which affects the processing part for precision and accuracy of oral movements and NOT the execution part of oral movements (which represents dysarthria). It can be developmental in nature or acquired. Professionals will be aware of this distinction which will help in the differential diagnosis of dysarthria.
Another factor that sets CAS separate from other speech sound disorders is that the individuals undergo adverse difficulty in social interaction which leads to negative effects on mental health, phonological, and language development (Murray, E et al., 2021).
Before voicing the word, voiceless oral (lip, tongue, jaw movements) searching to improve the accuracy of sound production occurs significantly in children with apraxia which is known as articulatory groping. It is a distinctive feature of childhood apraxia of speech that differentiates it from dysarthria.
Another core feature of CAS is difficulty with coarticulatory transitions. Coarticulation occurs when the articulation of different speech segments affects one another, causing an overlap in the articulatory configurations of the different sounds (Terbandetal.,2019) – Example: adding schwa vowel (sound ‘uh’) between words.
Other several features come up during the detailed evaluation by a speech pathologist which will determine the diagnosis. Once diagnosed, therapy focusing on facilitating the smoothness of oral movement range through evidence-based techniques will be formulated. To get a consultation and get more insight on this condition, CONTACT NOW
