Developmental Apraxia is a speech disorder in children wherein they have difficulty in saying words. It is not so much that they don’t know what to say or what word to use, but has to do with the part of the brain that should be telling the muscles how to move to pronounce a word correctly. 

By all appearances, it would seem that the child with Developmental Apraxia is mentally challenged, and many people incorrectly assume this. However, this could not be further from the truth.  

If you are having doubts about the speech of your child, here are some signs that could indicate Developmental Apraxia. Be reminded that if one or more items listed below fits your child like a glove, it is not recommended that you assume he has Developmental Apraxia. A doctor should still be consulted and tests should be done to correctly diagnose the problem.

Signs of Developmental Apraxia are: 

• Slow speech or uneven speech patterns

• More difficulty with longer words

• Has a problem answering, but can understand the question

• Tries to talk but no sound comes out

• Hyperactivity

• May show signs of difficulty in walking or writing

• Shows signs of problems with feeding oneself

Developmental Apraxia is a kind of Apraxia, mainly involving young children. Thus, the signs of Apraxia in adults will be very similar. The main difference is that with Developmental Apraxia, the patient needs more attention, especially with learning how to coordinate his body and manner of speaking. His lack of experience will work against him, and parents will have to take an active role in helping the child deal with his emotions, thoughts, needs, and desires. 

The role of parents and how they work with the speech therapist and other doctors will have a huge impact on how the Developmental Apraxia will be treated, and the success of the treatments. For example, repeating words to a child with Developmental Apraxia can be done at any time of the day or night. A parent can incorporate music as a way of expressing oneself, or word patterns and children’s simple rhythms during a walk in the park or a drive to the supermarket.  

Children with Developmental Apraxia can get better and learn how to speak so they are understood. However, this will be a case to case basis, and there are no set rules or standards of improvement that can be used.