Usually they require regular, direct therapy delivered by a Speech and Language Therapist, supported by frequent practise outside the therapy sessions e.g. at home and /or in school. Speech and Language Therapists use different therapy approaches to treat children with developmental verbal dyspraxia.
CAS is sometimes called verbal dyspraxia or developmental apraxia. Even though the word “developmental" is used, CAS is not a problem that children outgrow. A child with CAS will not learn speech sounds in typical order and will not make progress without treatment.
Treatment for dyspraxia
There is no cure for dyspraxia but there are therapies that can help with daily living, such as: occupational therapy – to help you find practical ways to remain independent and manage everyday tasks such as writing or preparing food.
While they do not get worse over time, their challenges may become more apparent with increasing academic demands. They have to work harder and/or differently than their peers to achieve the same goals. Despite their difficulties, pupils with dyspraxia can and do learn to perform some motor tasks quite well.
Developmental verbal dyspraxia is present in the child from when they are born. This can be co-occur with other conditions such a genetic disorders and syndromes such as autism spectrum disorder or Fragile X.
What is dyspraxia ? Children with dyspraxia have problems with smooth and coordinated movements. Dyspraxia is often present after a brain injury. Dyspraxia brought on by a brain injury can improve with time and therapy.
Also known as Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), DVD/CAS is a rare and distinct speech sound disorder, comprising only a tiny percentage of children with speech disorders.
Apraxia can be misdiagnosed
In some cases, kids with apraxia are misdiagnosed with ASD, as their articulatory and phonological abilities can be severe. In other cases, children with phonological difficulties are misdiagnosed with ASD when in fact, they are not on the autism spectrum.
Verbal dyspraxia is often caused by a stroke or another injury to the brain. It occasionally occurs alone, but is often associated with other speech and language disorders.
Problems with movement and co-ordination are the main symptoms of DCD. Children may have difficulty with: playground activities such as hopping, jumping, running, and catching or kicking a ball. They often avoid joining in because of their lack of co-ordination and may find physical education difficult.
Does dyspraxia/DCD run in families? Dyspraxia/DCD seems to run in families in some cases, but to date, no specific gene has been identified. It is likely that there are many different causes of dyspraxia/DCD, and genetics may be one.
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) has a number of possible causes, but in many cases a cause can't be determined. Doctors often don't observe a problem in the brain of a child with CAS . CAS may be the result of brain (neurological) conditions or injury, such as a stroke, infections or traumatic brain injury.
There is no way to prevent childhood apraxia of speech. It's a neurological condition tied to brain development. Since some cases of CAS link to genetic mutations, if you plan on becoming pregnant, ask your healthcare provider about genetic testing to assess your risk of having a child with a genetic condition.
These features are: "Inconsistent errors on consonants and vowels in repeated productions of syllables and words. Lengthened coarticulatory transitions between sounds and syllables. Inappropriate prosody, especially in the realization of lexical or phrasal stress"
Adults with dyspraxia sometimes display social and emotional difficulties, as well as problems with time management, planning and personal organisation. This may affect the person's education or employment. Dyspraxia may make learning a new skill more difficult.
Fundamentally, autism is a disorder that affects socialization and communication, while dyspraxia affects motor skills and physical coordination. While coinciding symptoms aren't uncommon, the two are considered distinct disorders.
Dyspraxia, however, does not affect the person's intelligence, although it can cause learning problems in children. Developmental dyspraxia is an immaturity of the organization of movement. The brain does not process information in a way that allows for a full transmission of neural messages.
Dyspraxia does not affect a person's IQ, but they may often have to navigate a mind which can be unorganized, meaning they are usually very intelligent people. Navigating around these barriers results in creating strategies to overcome problems really well.
Tend to get stressed, depressed and anxious easily. May have difficulty sleeping. Prone to low self-esteem, emotional outbursts, phobias, fears, obsessions, compulsions and addictive behaviour.
They often have immature speech that is both slow and difficult to understand. Even the most basic school age skills are difficult to master. Printing, playing ball, tying shoes, even assembling puzzles are all activities that seem to highlight their dyspraxia.
As a result, dyspraxia is a protected disability under the Equality Act. This means that people with dyspraxia shouldn't face any discrimination and should be provided with 'reasonable adjustments' for their disability.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) or Dyspraxia is commonly associated with difficulties with movement, when in fact there are many strengths associated with this neurotype. Big picture thinking, problem solving, tenacity, creativity and empathy are all qualities associated with DCD.