If you're reading this, you've probably been feeling a mix of things lately: confused, worried, maybe even exhausted from searching for answers about why your child's words aren't coming out the way you know they're meant to. Learning how to help a child with speech apraxia starts with understanding what's actually happening, and you're already doing something important just by asking the question.
At Bjorem Speech, childhood apraxia of speech sits at the center of our work. This guide breaks down what CAS is, then moves into the practical part: what you can actually do at home, in the classroom, and in daily life to help your child build clearer, more confident speech.
What this article covers:
What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Childhood apraxia of speech, or CAS, is a motor speech disorder that makes it hard for the brain to plan movements needed to produce sounds and words (ASHA, 2007). It isn't a muscle strength problem. The lips, tongue, jaw, and cheeks work fine on their own. The breakdown happens between the brain's intention to speak and the mouth's ability to carry it out, so a child might say a word perfectly once, then stumble minutes later.
Kids with CAS may stress syllables oddly, grope while searching for a sound, or show frustration since they understand more than they can say. Apraxia of speech in children exists on a spectrum and isn't something a child outgrows without targeted intervention. With the right support, real progress is possible.
How to Help a Child With Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Once you understand what CAS is, the natural next question is what to actually do about it. If you've noticed early signs of childhood apraxia of speech, here's what to do about it:
1. Get Speech Therapy From an SLP Who Specializes in CAS
Speech therapy for apraxia is the foundation on which everything else is built. CAS is a motor planning disorder, so treatment must focus on motor learning, not typical articulation work. Ask a prospective SLP how many CAS children they treat. Don't wait - evaluate.
If you've noticed any signs your child needs speech therapy, early intervention can make a huge difference. Connect with an SLP through our Bjorem & Bolles database to help your child today.
2. Practice Little and Often at Home
Long drill sessions can turn practice into a chore. Short bursts scattered through the day work better: five minutes at breakfast, a few reps at bath time, a quick round in the car. Ask your child's SLP if you can start working on anything at home to help with motor planning gains, and stick to that for the time being.
3. Use Multisensory Cues
Children with CAS often benefit from cues that combine what they see and hear with what they feel (Strand, 2020). Point to your mouth while modeling a word, or pair a sound with a consistent image. This is why our apraxia cards exist, giving your child the same anchor at home that they see in therapy.
4. Turn Practice Into Play
Early on, kids don't need to know they're doing speech work for it to count. Animal sound games are a favorite: ask what a cow, dog, or sheep says, and let your child repeat with puppets or picture cards. Reading together daily builds exposure, especially with books that repeat target sounds.
That being said, although this can help support your child's progress, they must still practice with an SLP to get long-term results.
5. Keep the Emotional Tone Positive
Your energy shapes how your child experiences practice. Children with CAS often know exactly what they want to say and feel real frustration when it doesn't come out right, and parent-reported data confirm just how common that frustration is (Teverovsky et al., 2009). Don't pressure your child to speak on command, and celebrate approximations, not just perfect productions. Staying warm and low pressure helps most.
6. Advocate for Your Child at School
Speech doesn't stay confined to the therapy room. It shows up constantly in the classroom, from answering questions to presenting projects, and untreated CAS has been linked to longer-term academic and literacy challenges (Lewis et al., 2004).
Consider whether your child would benefit from an Individualized Education Plan or a 504 Plan to formalize accommodations like preferential seating or extra support. For children with more significant challenges, augmentative and alternative communication tools can offer a helpful bridge while speech continues developing (Adams et al., 2026).
7. Build a Support Team Around Your Child
Depending on your child's needs, other professionals may round out their care team alongside the SLP, including occupational therapists and developmental pediatricians. Loop in family, friends, teachers, and caregivers, too, and let them know how to be supportive as your child works to communicate.
Ready to take the next steps? Learn how to get speech therapy for my child.
Conclusion
Helping a child through childhood apraxia of speech takes patience and consistency, plus a good team in your corner. Speech therapists trained specifically in CAS are the most important part of that team, and the practice and play you bring home, along with the advocacy you carry into school, are what push that progress into everyday communication.
We built Bjorem Speech because we believe every family deserves tools that make this work clearer and more doable. Shop our Bjorem Speech Apraxia Targets Deck and other CAS-focused tools created by speech therapists.
Sources:
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Childhood Apraxia of Speech [Technical Report]. https://www.asha.org/policy/tr2007-00278/
- Maas, E., Robin, D. A., Austermann Hula, S. N., Freedman, S. E., Wulf, G., Ballard, K. J., & Schmidt, R. A. Principles of Motor Learning in Treatment of Motor Speech Disorders. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 17(3), 277 to 298. https://doi.org/10.1044/1058-0360(2008/025)
- Strand, E. A. Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing: A Treatment Strategy for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1), 30 to 48. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-19-0005
- Namasivayam, A. K., Pukonen, M., Goshulak, D., Hard, J., Rudzicz, F., Rietveld, T., Maassen, B., Kroll, R., & van Lieshout, P. Treatment Intensity and Childhood Apraxia of Speech. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 50(4), 529 to 546. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12154
- Teverovsky, E. G., Bickel, J. O., & Feldman, H. M. Functional Characteristics of Children Diagnosed With Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Disability and Rehabilitation, 31(2), 94 to 102. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638280701795030
- Lewis, B. A., Freebairn, L. A., Hansen, A. J., Iyengar, S. K., & Taylor, H. G. School-Age Follow-Up of Children With Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 35(2), 122 to 140. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15354398/
- Adams, S., Zakrzewski, K., King, T., Vecchio, S., Lim, J., & Conlon, C. A Scoping Review of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Use in Children With Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2026.2619162
