07/16/2026
In general, there is SO much more research needed to be done on Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) for any age, but I find it particularly lacking for adolescents.
The limited research I have found on adolescents says the following:
* For children ages 9-17 years old, the most effective CAS treatment approach is to use ultrasound biofeedback approaches. This uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the tongue that the patient can see as they talk. However, while ultrasound units are becoming more affordable than they used to be, that are still expensive for an average SLP to purchase on their own.
* Research also says that ultrasound biofeedback is NOT as beneficial for patients with co-occurring diagnoses (which is common in children with CAS) so this puts us back at the drawing board for many patients.
* Many children with CAS (of any age) demonstrate perceptual deficits, so providing verbal feedback and targeting specific speech perception skills in treatment is appropriate (I.e. phonological awareness tasks, using target sounds in different contexts, etc.)
* Adolescents who have received a previous diagnosis of CAS also have a higher rate of psychosocial difficulties when compared to their same age peers who did not have CAS. Positive support systems does decrease this likelihood, however.
*Persistent difficulties with prosody: difficulties with rate of speech, pitch, volume of speech, voicing (I.e. talks fast or slow, talks louder or quieter than others, or maybe even seem like they are robotic, mumbling or montone)
*Persistent vowelization speech errors: produces the “uh” sound for many “R” or “L” sounds (I.e. “tiguh” for “tiger”)
*Low confidence levels, anxiety and/or sensitivity: upsets easily, cries, feels left out of social groups, low confidence due to speech abilities etc.
DISCLAIMER: These are just observations that I have made from working with several patients who have, or previous have been diagnosed with CAS. This is not meant to diagnose, describe or predict what may happen with every patient with CAS.
Please call Speak Up Therapies, LLC if you have more questions or concerns regarding this topic !!
