All posts tagged: book on apraxia

Apraxia Monday: A Gossip Columnist Shares “Speaking of Apraxia”

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By Leslie Lindsay (image source: http://socialtimes.com/another-online-newspaper-ventures-into-socal-shopping_b43352) Talk of the Town: Gossip Queen & Child Development Expert Answers your Most Pressing Questions. Today’s Topic: Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) Saturday, September 24, 2012 Dear Miss Talks-a-Lot:  Argh!  I am so frustrated.  My 3 year old son has so much difficulty talking.  It’s like he knows what he wants to say, but he can’t quite get the words out. Everything else [developmentally] seems to be right on target, yet he just jibbers and gestures.  What could be going on?  –Frustrated in Colorado(image source: http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/wyoming/rocky-mountains) The Rocky Mountains plus the rugged beauty of Wyoming add up to Dear Frustrated in Colorado: It sounds like your son may be suffering from Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), this neurologically based motor speech disorder is characterized by the inability to connect thoughts with verbal output.  It’s as though the child knows what he wants to say, he just cannot coordinate the muscles of articulation with his brain. Often, kids with CAS will gesture or create their own words and phrases to …

Apraxia Monday: ABCs & CAS (Why Reading is Hard, How YOU Can Help)

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By Leslie Lindsay We know that having children with CAS presents a different set of challenges.  From not being able to commuicate clearly to learning to read, seems there is always something we need to help our little people with .  Learning to read with CAS is topic that is often up for discussion.  Why is it so darn hard for these kiddos to learn to read?  And what can you do to help your child?  Why Is Reading Difficult for Children with CAS?  Kids with apraxia have several problem areas to consider when reading comes into the picture: Kids who aren’t making sounds accurately (or at all) may have a decreased visual representation of what letters look and sound like.   Kids with speech-language disorders may have a distorted sense of what the symbols (letters) represent (letters are symbols which represent words).   Kids with apraxia may have “differently-wired” brains, affecting the way they read, learn, and interpret information.   Children affected with CAS may have a decreased ability to coordinate the vocal track …

Apraxia Monday: Improving Reading Skills

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  By Leslie Lindsay  If you have a child with CAS (childhood apraxia of speech), then you are probably aware that verbal communication is a bit of a…well, challenge.  It may also come as no surprise that reading and writing may also be a challenge for your little one with CAS.  You will likely start to see this struggle as your kiddo hits the later preschool years (Pre-K) moving into kindergarten. Since it’s summertime, it may be a great time to practice these skills without the pressure to perform.  You and your child can progress at a rate that is comfortable to you….and come fall, your child with apraxia is ready to put those hard-learned skills into action. But let’s start with the basics: why is it so hard for kids with CAS to read and write?  Aside from pulling out some heavy-duty texts to explain all of this, I will just provide a couple of basics: 1.  Kids who aren’t making sounds accurately–or at all–may have a decreased visual of what letters look–and sound like. …

Apraxia Monday: Dealing with the Dark Days

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By Leslie Lindsay I am a day behind…but, here goes “Apraxia Monday” on Tuesday.  I’d like to share with you a few comments, emails that I have received from folks who have a child with with apraxia (CAS). “Dear Leslie, I have a son with apraxia.  While he is in intensive therapy and progressing, I am an absolute wreck.  I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of your book for months.  Bless you for all you have done to help us parents.” And another…. “Dear Leslie, My 2.5 year old daughter has apraxia.  She has been in therapy since she was 18 months old.  Most days we go about our daily life without dwelling on apraxia too much–but I have days where I break down and fear for the future.  I need someone who can understand and relate.  It’s getting harder to see her grunt at people and have them stare at me as if I am a clueless parent.  Instead of driving her to [speech] therapy, I dream I am driving her to ballet …

Apraxia Monday: Excerpt from Chapter 8: What you Can do At Home

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By Leslie Lindsay This may very well be the chapter/excerpt you have been waiting for!  Get ready to be inspired to help your child with some fun, and practical speech-inducing exercises at home.  It may be the most fun “homework” session yet.  This comes from Chapter 8 of “Speaking of Apraxia” (Woodbine House, March 2012). This chapter is about learning how to help your child overcome apraxia of speech in a natural environment: your home and community.  Here are a few ideas to get you started:  Have a family game night. Traditional  favorites will do the trick. The speech payoffs here: turn-taking, counting, requesting, being a good sport, and other communication opportunities. Visit your public library. Let your child find some books of interest and then read them to her. Speech payoff: child-directed learning, introduction to new vocabulary, 1:1 time with you in which you are modeling pronunciation and articulation. You might even hear some sounds or word approximations from your child! Experience and connect with nature.  Speech payoff: identify and describe what you see, hear, and smell. Think holistically—this is more than just a walk in the park. …

Apraxia Monday: Excerpt from Chapter 8–Assessing Alternative Treatments for CAS

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By Leslie Lindsay Here is an excerpt from Chapter 8: Fish Oil, Diet, Horses, Music & More:  Complimentary Alternative Medical Approaches (CAM) to Childhood Apraxia of Speech in “Speaking of Apraxia,” (Woodbine House, March 2012). Does “Nontraditional” Therapy Do Any Good [for children with CAS]?! Sometimes you will find scientific research that supports the treatment claims you hear or read about regardingCAMproducts, but sometimes you won’t. Many folks will ask, “So, if it’s not scientific, why bother?” It’s been my experience that parents want to know what else may help their child. Since we live in a society in which “more” sometimes equates to “better,” why stop at “just” speech therapy? Knowing about—even trying—additional therapies or remedies gives hope to parents whose kids are struggling. For children with CAS alone, it is just as beneficial to work with them on a frequent, intense basis to remediate symptoms associated with CAS. If your child has additional concerns, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) provides options to augment more traditional therapy. For instance, one parent in my Small …

Apraxia Monday: The book has launched

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By Leslie Lindsay It’s been a long time coming.  Close to 4 years, in fact.  I set out to write a book–albeit–a bit relunctly at first on a topic very unfamiliar to me: childhood apraxia of speech (CAS, or just “apraxia”).  When my daughter was just 2 years, 6 months old we were puzzled as to why she wasn’t talking like all of the other children her age.  She was quiet.  She was sweet.  She was smart.  So, why would something as simple as talking be such a challenging feat for my little sprite? Sure, we understood most of what she needed–a grunt here, a gesture there, a soulful stare.  We knew when she needed to be held, when she wanted a snack or a drink.  But we never actually heard her say, “I’m hungry” till much later than typical. When my daughter was diagnosed with CAS in 2007, I had no idea what it was, let alone how I could help my daughter.  Well….fast-forward 5 years and I sure know a heck of a lot …