Article Library
Stay Informed. Stay Empowered.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a complex motor speech disorder, and ongoing research continues to shape how we understand, diagnose, and treat it. This page is dedicated to keeping families, caregivers, educators, and clinicians up to date with the latest findings and expert insights.
Here you’ll find:
- Curated articles from trusted sources on CAS diagnosis and treatment.
- Concise summaries highlighting key takeaways from each publication.
- Direct links to full articles so you can explore the research in depth.
Our goal is to make cutting-edge knowledge accessible, so you can feel confident navigating the journey of supporting children with CAS.
Explore each topic below to learn more
CAS and Autism: Narrative Review and Clinical Recommendations
Title: Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech Among Children With Autism: Narrative Review and Clinical Recommendations
Author: Molly Beiting
Publication: Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
Publication Date: October 2022
This article provides a tutorial with evidence-based recommendations to guide speech assessment and treatment among children with ASD, low verbal ability and suspected CAS. The author provides guidance for both assessment and treatment grounded in overall evidence with additional consideration to the specific needs of this population. The Appendix provides an excellent Assessment protocol for children with ASD, low verbal ability and suspected SSD. They also describe 10 recommendations for treatment assuming that a diagnosis of CAS has been made.
Children's Perspective of CAS Therapy
Title: Children’s drawings of intervention for childhood apraxia of speech: Place, people, activity, and emotion
Authors: Jane McCormack, Anna Cronin, Sharynne McLeod, Marie Ireland, Cen (Audrey) Wang, and Caroline Tiong
Publication: Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Special Issue: Listening to Children with Diverse Communication Abilities
Publication Date: October 2025
How do children feel about CAS therapy? Most evidence-based treatment methods for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) involve motor-based treatment characterized by a significant amount of drill. Some clinicians and parents may worry that expecting children to participate in intense drill could be stressful and even cause the child to view therapy negatively. In this article, a team of researchers explored the experience of children with CAS who participated in treatment research studies and received intense, motor-based drill for 45-60 minutes per session. Most children described a positive experience (happy) and less than 10% described negative experience (sad). Children were also able to describe some of the focal points of treatment that stood out to them.
This research was funded by a grant from The Once Upon A Time Foundation/Child Apraxia Treatment.
Goal-Writing for CAS Treatment
Title: A Goal-Writing Framework for Motor-Based Intervention for Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Authors: Julie Case, Susan Caspari, Pooja Aggarwal, Ruth Stoeckel
Publication: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
Publication Date: July 2024
This tutorial provides a practical, research-aligned framework to help SLPs write effective, motor-based treatment goals for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). Because CAS involves deficits in motor planning and programming, traditional goal-writing models typically do not address the unique needs of this population. To address this gap, the tutorial adapts a framework to better reflect motor-based intervention principles, emphasizing movement gestures rather than isolated sounds as treatment targets. The article outlines key clinical considerations – target selection, attention to all aspects of movement (including prosody and coarticulation), and structured practice guided by principles of motor learning. The authors demonstrate application of their framework through case studies.
CAS and Literacy: Review of literacy skills of children with childhood apraxia of speech
Title: A systematic scoping review of the literacy skills of children with childhood apraxia of speech: Recommendations for best practice and further research
Authors: Sarah Tzu Yun Chou, Rebecca Sutherland, & Patricia McCabe
Publication: International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
Publication Date: July 2024
A recent article published in 2024 reviewed 23 publications describing children with CAS, 17 of which included information about literacy skills (Chau, et. al, 2024).
The review found that although not all children with CAS have difficulty acquiring literacy skills, many demonstrate weaker early literacy skills compared to typically developing peers and children with speech sound disorders. Children with CAS, especially those who also have a language disorder, should be considered at risk for difficulty with literacy acquisition and may benefit from early and preventative formal literacy instruction. Integrated phonological awareness and shared storybook reading have been reported to improve reading skills in children with CAS and could be considered intervention strategies, although much more research is needed in this area. Finally, the authors point out that because most literacy assessment and intervention programs depend on speech output, speech errors may be mistaken for reading errors, and vice versa. Strategies such as input phonics (practicing and demonstrating phonic skills without required speech output) and silent reading comprehension may be valuable first steps toward adapting literacy interventions to the unique needs of children with CAS.
Click here to ready a more detailed summary of this article.
Scheduling for CAS Treatment in the School Setting
Title: Intensive and Individual Treatment in Schools… Are You Serious? Creative Scheduling Solutions for Students with Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Authors: Judy Rich, EdD, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL and Jessica Carter, MS, CCC-SLP
Publication: Written for Child Apraxia Treatment
Publication Date: July 2026
School-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are accustomed to delivering services in 30-minute small groups, balancing large caseloads, competing schedules, and limited time. When recommendations for Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) include frequent, individual treatment sessions several times each week, many clinicians immediately ask, “How could that possibly work in a school setting?” The good news is that intensive treatment does not necessarily require hour-long sessions or an entirely separate service delivery model. With thoughtful scheduling, creative problem-solving, and a willingness to prioritize the unique needs of students with CAS, school-based SLPs can successfully provide short, frequent, individual sessions within a typical caseload. The goal is not to abandon efficient service delivery for all students, but rather to recognize that children with CAS often require a different approach and to build schedules that make those opportunities possible.
Caregivers’ Experiences of Assessment and Treatment for Their Child With CAS
Title: Caregivers’ Experiences of Assessment and Treatment for Their Child With Childhood Apraxia of Speech: An International Questionnaire Study
Authors: Donna Claire Thomas, Maryane Gomez, Angela Muis, Nathan Trezise, Eliza Williamson, Jessica Xue Ming Choo, Julie Case, Elizabeth Murray, Maria Irene Grigos, Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel, and Shelley L. Velleman
Publication: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
Publication Date: March 2026
A new research study, Thomas et al. (2026), examined what families of children with CAS experience during diagnosis and treatment—and, importantly, how the services they receive compare with what they want. The study surveyed 161 caregivers, primarily from the United States, Australia, and Canada.
Caregivers commonly reported recognizing concerns early, but many faced delays in diagnosis, difficulty finding clinicians with CAS expertise, and limited access to the frequency and type of therapy they preferred. Families also emphasized the importance of clear information, collaborative goal setting, and practical support outside the therapy session.
They also described having to become their child’s CAS “expert.” Caregivers wanted professionals to recognize possible CAS earlier and wanted considerably more information at diagnosis—not simply “your child has CAS,” but information about what CAS is, treatment, prognosis, and possible long-term effects.
What this means for clinicians:
- Take caregiver concerns seriously and avoid relying on a “wait and see” approach when communication delays are evident.
- If CAS cannot yet be confirmed, begin appropriate intervention while continuing to monitor for motor speech characteristics consistent with CAS.
- Explain the characteristics of CAS, your treatment approach, goals and expected course of therapy to families in a way that’s easy to understand.
- Use an appropriate motor speech approach when CAS is suspected or confirmed.
- Consider treatment intensity intentionally rather than allowing school or clinic schedules alone to determine frequency.
- Recognize that families may need support navigating access, cost, waitlists, and differences between school- and clinic-based services.
This research was funded by a grant from The Once Upon A Time Foundation/Child Apraxia Treatment.