Does anyone have a child with apraxia (speech disorder)?

sajg2 · 05-17-2008, 11:20 PM

Hi everyone I'm new to the ste tonight and was amazed to find this forum (special needs). My 2yrold ds has finally been diagnosed with apraxia its a neurological speech disorder but he has alot of the characteristics of a child with autism. Would love to here from you and share info. It is also great to know I can come some were and vent my fruststrations, because I know all of you will understand were I'm coming from. Do you all get told by friends and family that ( God never gives one more than they can handle I know this to be true) but if I here one more time I will scream, sorry it's been a longgggggggg DAY.

desertmom · 05-17-2008, 11:50 PM

I'm not dealing with it, but back when my son was first getting dx'd, I thought I was, so kept this site handy. Hope this is a help:

Apraxia-KIDS (a program of The Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association) - Apraxia-KIDS

There are others in this forum dealing with it, however, who had the same thread title as yours. I hope they will stop in. I will also try to find their posts later.

Welcome to the forum, and welcome to mommysavers!

jacobnatesmom · 05-18-2008, 06:07 PM

My youngest ds has this. He was diagnosed with it earlier this school year. Thankfully he has a GREAT speech therapist in the preschool (although he's going to a different school next year for kindergarten) He also has some of the characteristics of an autistic child.

momof2girls · 05-22-2008, 09:52 PM

My daughter has verbal apraxia and has received speech services since she was about 18 months old. She is now 6 years old. She will not need speech next year at school... only when she becomes anxious and speaks fast, her intelligibility decreases.
Most people thought my daughter was on the spectrum because of the speech and her social delays.... Once the articulation improved, we had a speech therapist that worked with her on social skills... I actually got eye contact for the first time last summer and now she talks to people and they understand her. Now we are just dealing with sensory issues.
I was scared when we got the diagnosis but relieved that I could help her and get the services she needed. Services worked for my daugher...she has gone from extremely shy to a social butterfly in school...
People are impressed with the improvements... outstanding.

The key to success is having a the right therapy in place for your child... someone who has worked with apraxia and then when the articulation improves... someone who can help with the social speech components.... making them answer questions and cueing them to give eye contact.

We are very thankful for our daughter and proud of all her accomplishments.

jdawn_76 · 06-10-2008, 09:54 AM

My ds was diagnosed with verbal apraxia in February. He has had "speech therapists" since the age of 2 1/2. We were in PA, TX, and now CT. It was the CT speech teacher who diagnosed him. Since she has she knows how to work with him. She shows us what to do which is a big help. He has been making a tremendous improvement! I only wish we had known sooner.

At first, I was so devastated. I thought that it was my fault. I didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't want them to think it was my fault as well. I also didn't want my child to be labeled. My comfort was knowing that the more you work with it when they are younger the more likely it will go away.

Like momof2girls said her daughter is 6 and doesn't have to have speech next year. That is awesome!

Whenever you need to vent we are hear to listen and to help any way that we can. It is nice to know that there are others out there. Watch out for some sites that you might look at if you are researching apraxia. The one that desertmom listed is the best one out there.