Laura Smith was a speech-language pathologist, mostly in elementary education, before her children were born. After her daughter was born, she realized that she wasn’t reaching her developmental milestones. She crawled and walked late and feeding, dressing, and speech were also delayed. When her daughter was diagnosed with apraxia, she focused her professional interest on learning everything she could about it and started her private practice specializing in childhood apraxia.
For many parents, the diagnosis of apraxia feels devastating. They wonder if their child will ever speak. What does the future hold? It’s normal to feel sad and to grieve and there should be no guilt about having these feelings. Once you have a diagnosis, you can have a plan.
Early Signs of Apraxia:
How to find an appropriate therapist:
Resources for speech therapists and parents:
Laura’s most important advice for parents of kids with apraxia:
Laura Smith is Apraxia-Kids recognized for advanced training and clinical expertise in Childhood Apraxia of Speech, has completed the PROMPT Level 1 training, and the Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol (K-SLP). She is the clinical director and owner of A Mile High Speech Therapy specializing in childhood speech and language disorders. She has lectured throughout the United States on Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) and related issues. Laura is committed to raising and spreading CAS awareness following her own daughter’s diagnosis of CAS and dyspraxia. She is the author of Overcoming Apraxia, coordinated the Denver Apraxia Walk from 2015-2019, and writes for various publications including the ASHA wire blog, The Mighty, and on a website she manages, slpmommyofapraxia.com. In 2016, Laura was awarded ASHA’s media award for garnering national media attention around apraxia detailing her connection with UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, and also received ASHA’s ACE award for her continuing education, specifically in the area of childhood motor speech disorders.
—@ABASpeechByRose
—ABA Speech Teletheraphy
—www.slpmommyofapraxia.com
—You can find SLP Mommy of Apraxia on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube
—Laura Smith on LinkedIn
—Laura’s book – Overcoming Apraxia by Laura Baskall-Smith
—Apraxia Kids
—The Prompt Institute
—Top 10 Questions for SLPs Treating CAS
—Dr. Strand’s Free online course – Diagnosis and Treatment of CAS
—Dr. Edwin Maas’s webinar – Principles of Motor Learning and Childhood Apraxia of Speech
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