What is Apraxia of Speech? Causes and its Nature

Apraxia of speech is a neurological condition that affects an individual's ability to coordinate the movements necessary for speech production and sequence speech sounds appropriately and accurately. Although the person can produce speech sounds and there is no problem with the speech muscles, he cannot move his speech organs as he wishes and cannot sequence the sounds correctly. This situation can have significant negative effects on the person's communication abilities. In this article, the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options of apraxia of speech will be discussed.

1. Causes: Apraxia of speech can have various causes, but is primarily associated with neurological damage. This damage can result from stroke, head trauma, neurodegenerative diseases, or developmental problems. Although there is no neurological problem in childhood apraxia of speech, some individuals in early childhood may experience developmental apraxia of speech. However, although rare, apraxia of speech is encountered in childhood due to head injuries or other neurological conditions.

2. Symptoms: The hallmark of apraxia of speech is difficulty planning and coordinating the movements necessary for speech. Common symptoms include:

- Inconsistent speech sound errors: This is the most important symptom that distinguishes speech apraxia from other speech sound problems. While speech sound errors are consistent in other speech sound and intelligibility problems, inconsistent errors stand out in speech apraxia. A person may involuntarily produce the same word with different sound sequences at different times. The person can notice errors in the sequencing of speech sounds and try to correct them. However, as we try to fix it, errors continue. The person may feel frustration, anger and sadness.

- Difficulty in pronouncing long or complex words: a person may experience difficulties in producing short words or sentences. However, inconsistent speech sound errors increase and speech intelligibility decreases as the speech output he/she has to produce becomes longer and more complex.

- Difficulty in imitating speech sounds or sequences: syllables and sounds are produced in different and variable orders than the order in which they should be.

- Frustration and loss of control in speaking: Although the person is aware of the mistakes he/she makes while speaking, he/she may feel frustrated and lose control because he/she cannot produce the correct sound and syllable sequence and produces different sound and syllable sequences in each attempt.

3. Diagnosis: Apraxia of speech can be difficult to diagnose and often requires the expertise of a speech-language pathologist. Diagnosis involves a comprehensive evaluation of the individual's speech and language abilities. Some common assessment tools include the following, and the person with apraxia of speech and their loved ones should ensure that the following situations are taken into consideration during the assessment.

- Articulation tests to evaluate sound errors.

- Oral motor assessment to evaluate muscle movements.

- Evaluation of linguistic and non-linguistic factors affecting speech.

- Observation of speech production in various contexts

4. Therapy: Speech therapy is the primary form of treatment for apraxia of speech. Therapy techniques are adapted to the individual's specific needs. As a result of the evaluation conducted by a specialist language and speech therapist, the speech therapy plan and frequency are devised.

The following practices are used in the therapy of people experiencing apraxia of speech:

- Articulation therapy applications to improve speech sound production

- Exercises to improve motor planning

- Supportive and alternative communication methods for those with severe apraxia

- Family involvement to support conversation practice at home

- Correct sound and syllable syntax exercises

- Providing and maintaining the appropriate speech mechanism for correct sound productions

- Acquiring appropriate speech tempo and rhythm

Although briefly mentioned above, apraxia of speech is a difficult and complex condition. Each apraxia of speech is different from each other. Therapy plans and applications should be carried out meticulously according to the evaluation results. The prognosis for individuals with apraxia of speech varies. While some individuals make rapid recovery with therapy, other individuals may make slower progress. Early, intensive and consistent intervention will yield better results.

In conclusion, apraxia of speech is a complex neurological condition that can significantly impact an individual's ability to communicate effectively. Understanding its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options will contribute to the management of this condition for both professionals in the field of language and speech therapy and individuals affected by this condition and their families. Early diagnosis and appropriate speech therapy are crucial to helping people with apraxia of speech improve their speech and quality of life.