What is childhood apraxia of speech?

Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a type of speech difficulty. It is often referred to just by the letters CAS.

CAS is a difficulty with voluntarily moving mouth parts such as the tongue, lips and jaw in order to produce speech. The child knows what they want to say but they have difficulty making and coordinating the movements to say words clearly. However, there is no damage to nerves or muscles. CAS is mainly a difficulty with making and coordinating muscle movements.

CAS may be mild, moderate or severe. In some severe cases, the child’s speech may be unintelligible even to family members.