By Leslie Lindsay 

Author’s 15-year old daughter interviews her mom on SPEAKING OF APRAXIA. 

~APRAXIA MONDAY|ALWAYS WITH A BOOK~

A Mother-Daughter Conversation about CAS

Part 1 of 2

Now available in an updated, second edition, SPEAKING OF APRAXIA: A Parents’ Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech (Woodbine House, December 2020), is an award-winning resource on Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). Eight years ago, when Leslie Lindsay, former Child & Adolescent Psychiatric R.N., and mother to a daughter with CAS—now resolved—couldn’t find any parent-friendly books to help her child and family with CAS, she wrote one. This updated, well-researched, and comprehensive work provides readers the benefit of her experience and perspective.

It covers:

• introduction to speech, language & listening
• explanation of CAS
• what to do when you suspect your child has CAS
• getting a speech evaluation
• meeting with a speech-language pathologist
• getting the CAS diagnosis
• possible causes
• diagnoses related to CAS
• speech therapy best suited for CAS
• complementary & alternative approaches
• activities & materials to support therapy at home
• creating a language-rich environment for speech
• coping with CAS as a family
• understanding & tending to your child’s feelings
• networking, advocating & resources
• when CAS resolves, what’s next?

Supportive and encouraging, SPEAKING OF APRAXIA gives readers the detailed information they need to get working on all aspects of their child’s CAS diagnosis. Additional helpful content includes resources, a glossary, and appendices about possible co-occurring conditions, health insurance, camp and enrichment programs, and speech and language milestones. 

Please join us in conversation. 

Kate Lindsay:

Today, I am chatting with my mom about her book, SPEAKING OF APRAXIA. Before we get into the book, can you tell us what apraxia is?

Leslie Lindsay:

CAS is a neurological, motor-based speech disorder which creates a disruption to speech movement and timing. Even though children want to speak, the coordination difficulty results in limited and unclear speech. With intensive speech-language therapy, children can expand their speech ability and intelligibility. That’s the long, official definition. I like to think of it as having something on the ‘tip-of-your-tongue,’ all the time; you know what you want to say, you just can’t quite get the words out. Would you agree?   

Kate Lindsay:

Yes. Exactly. Do you remember what it was like when you first learned I had apraxia?

Leslie Lindsay:

It was tough, I won’t lie. First, backing way up, before we even saw an SLP, your pediatrician thought you were delayed in your speech. I didn’t want to believe it. I thought, “No way. I was an early talker. I do everything ‘right’ as a parent in terms of speech development–we read and sing ditties, I narrate our day as we go about it.” She cocked her head and said, “It’s not always what you do or don’t do, but maybe something about her.” I looked at you-sweet, quiet baby of about 14 months who had no words. I thought, “Maybe;” it pained me. This wonderful, astute pediatrician eventually encouraged a speech-language evaluation You were about 18 months then. Still, no words. Not even mama. They said you had a ‘severe delay.’ My heart broke. We went back for several sessions. Your baby sister was born, we moved out-of-state. Speech therapy went on hold. We started back up once we got settled. That’s when they diagnosed you with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). I felt relief–we finally knew what we were dealing with. If we knew what it was, then we could make it better. And we did. 

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“Speaking of Apraxia is a phenomenal resource for any caregiver interested in learning more about apraxia! This book is a jewel that combines an easy-to-read format with valuable tips, inspiring anecdotes and spot-on information. My new go-to resource for my clients with CAS and their families.”

-Tinita O. Kearney, PhD, CCC-SLP, Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist

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Kate Lindsay: 

What was it like to write this book? Was it hard?

Leslie Lindsay: 

Absolutely! You know I am a ‘book person.’ I wanted a book so badly about [apraxia]. I went to the bookstore and scoured the parenting shelves. There were books about autism, AD/HD, allergies, anxiety, asthma, all of these “A”-diagnoses, but not one book on (childhood) apraxia (of speech). I looked on Amazon and Google. No books existed except maybe some textbooks for grad students or a scholarly article here and there. I wanted a parenting-type book. So, I started reading. And researching, gathering all kinds of information, going to conferences, taking notes, making connections. It was a ton of work. And often very discouraging. I felt I was in over my head; I absolutely wanted to give up. Time and time again I said, “That’s it–someone else can write this book.”

Kate Lindsay:

But you stuck with it. 

Leslie Lindsay:

I did. And I don’t know exactly why [laughs]. I was probably you, you kept going to speech therapy and kept writing. I thought of all of the families who had a child with apraxia who also needed a book like this, and so I kept chipping away.

Kate Lindsay:

But now it’s in a 2nd edition. How is this one different?

Leslie Lindsay:

The first book came out in 2012, which means I was doing much of my research in 2009-2010, and a good deal of that research was already five or ten years old (or older!). It’s 2020 now, a good deal has changed. Researchers are learning more about apraxia, SLPs are learning new and more innovative ways of working with children with CAS. I wanted this new edition to reflect that. There are new quotes from experts whom maybe I didn’t know a decade ago. We updated resources and copyrights of materials, found new and better websites (eliminated the old, broken ones), updated tips and hints and have a whole new review board, who were amazing and offered some new insights, introduced me to new professionals I didn’t know ten years ago. Also, I reconnected with some of the families from the first book and got updates on their children. I think that’s pretty cool. We also talk more about older kids with CAS, challenges they may face in high school and beyond. I’m really proud of the way this new edition turned out. The only thing missing is your sweet face from the cover. 

Kate Lindsay: 

Aww…that was so cool to have my face on your book, Mom. You know, [my sister] is still kind of mad about that. 

Leslie Lindsay: 

I need to make that up to her somehow, don’t I? 

Kate Lindsay: 

Totes. 

~Join us next week, Monday, December 14th, when I interview Kate on growing up with CAS~

Artistic image designed and photographed by me, Leslie Lindsay. Follow on Instagram for more like this @leslielindsay1 #bookstagrammer #alwayswithabook #SpeakingofApraxia

For more information, to connect with Leslie Lindsay, via social media, or to purchase a copy of SPEAKING OF APRAXIA, please visit: 

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram 

Order Links: 

• Amazon
• BAM!
• IndieBound
• Woodbine House

Listen to the podcast:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Leslie A. Lindsay, R.N., B.S.N. is the award-winning author of SPEAKING OF APRAXIA, originally published in 2012. Leslie’s writing and photography have appeared in various literary journals; she has been recognized as one of the most influential book reviewers, interviewing hundreds of bestselling and debut authors at her website. Leslie is a former Child & Adolescent Psychiatric R.N. at the Mayo Clinic and at work on a memoir. She resides in suburban Chicago. Visit her on Insta/Twitter @leslielindsay1 and the Speaking of Apraxia Facebook Page.  

• GoodReads
• Facebook: LeslieLindsayWriter
• Twitter: @LeslieLindsay1
• Email: leslie_lindsay@hotmail.com
• Amazon
• Instagram: @LeslieLindsay1

~UPDATED, 2nd Edition of SPEAKING OF APRAXIA available from Woodbine House~

ABOUT YOUR HOST: 

Kate Lindsay is Leslie’s oldest daughter. She is currently a sophomore in high school and a Varsity tennis player, a climber, a do-er, and overall awesome kid. She enjoys all forms of artistic expression, including Irish dance, sewing, drawing, cardmaking, more. She was diagnosed with CAS when she was just shy of her third birthday. Now, at fifteen-and-a-half, she won’t stop talking. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her mom, dad, sister, and basset hound, Betsy Mae. 

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