Lear Communication loves to support the community in which we serve. Lear Communication is a proud sponsor of the 2016 Walk for Children with Apraxia because we too believe that every child deserves a voice! You can join us by visiting http://casana.apraxia-kids.org/site/TR?fr_id=1972&pg=entry
What is Apraxia of Speech?
While most children almost miraculously learn to speak without effort, children with apraxia struggle mightily to accurately produce sounds, syllables and words. While their understanding of language is usually much better than their ability to express it, children with apraxia have difficulty planning and programming the movements which underlie speech. At the heart of it, speech is more than knowing what you want to say. Rapid and finely graded movements of speech structures (the lips, tongue, palate and jaw, etc.) occur which allow us to clearly articulate our ideas. But for children with apraxia, ideas are often stuck inside, unspoken or not understood, because of apraxia. Childhood Apraxia of Speech is considered rare among speech disorders in children and particularly challenging to overcome (CASANA).
What we know is:
- Childhood Apraxia of Speech is among the rarest, most severe and complex of all speech disorders impacting children.
- Proper treatment is intensive, specialized speech therapy which can be extremely difficult for families to find for their children.
- Specialized understanding and training of speech professionals is needed to optimize outcomes for children.
- Without proper help and services, a cascade of other challenges may occur to children with apraxia, including social, emotional, and learning difficulties related to limited speech and communication.
This is why we fundraise. As the only national nonprofit organization totally dedicated to the needs and interests of children with apraxia and their families, CASANA is able to offer programs in key areas only because of that fundraising help.