Do you have trouble putting your thoughts into action? Let's talk about Apraxia!

Have you ever been stuck brushing your teeth and wondering, 'How do I do this?' Or have you ever noticed that your little one wants to say words but has trouble using their mouth and tongue properly? Sometimes these can be signs of a deeper problem than we think. That's what we're talking about today, apraxia . Don't be scared when you hear this. Let's explain everything in simple terms.

What exactly is apraxia?

Simply put, apraxia is a neurological condition in which you need to make a certain movement, but you are unable to do it. The strange thing is that there is no weakness in the muscles needed to make that movement, and you have the awareness and desire to do it.

Think of it this way. Your brain is like the boss of the company. The muscles in your arms and legs are the workers. Even though the boss (the brain) gives the order to do the job, the message doesn't go to the workers (the muscles) correctly. That's what happens in apraxia. Due to damage to the brain, the body can't correctly formulate the sequence of commands needed to perform a certain movement.

What is Dyspraxia?

You may have also heard of dyspraxia . This is a milder form of apraxia. It usually starts in childhood. It causes problems with movement and coordination. It can affect things like riding a bike, writing neatly, or tying your shoelaces. What happens here is that the ability to move is not completely lost, but rather is impaired to some extent. However, in apraxia, the ability to perform some movements can be completely lost.

What are the main types of apraxia?

There are different types of apraxia. Each one affects the body in different ways. To make this easier to understand, let's look at this table.

What is the difference between Apraxia and Aphasia?

People often confuse these two conditions, as they can both occur together. However, there is a clear difference between the two.

Aphasia is a language problem that affects the ability to understand words, recall words, speak, write, and read.

However, apraxia is not a problem with understanding language. You know what word you want to say, but you are unable to initiate and coordinate the muscle movements needed to pronounce that word.

What are the symptoms of a person with apraxia?

The main symptom is the inability to make deliberate movements, despite being physically able. Symptoms vary depending on where in the brain the damage is.

Early symptoms of Childhood Apraxia of Speech:

• Babbling is very rare during infancy.
• Making only a few sounds.
• Speaking without making sounds, such as the initial letters of a word.
• Saying a word correctly one time, but not being able to say it correctly the next time.
• Trying to express ideas through nodding or gesturing rather than speaking.

Symptoms of Adult Apraxia of Speech:

• Speaking very slowly.
• It's like saying 'kitchen' instead of 'chicken', or saying another word instead of the one you're thinking of.
• When trying to say a word, the lips and tongue move back and forth, appearing to be searching for words (g ROP ing).
• Being able to say common words or phrases like 'good morning' without any difficulty.
• If the condition is severe, it may even lead to the inability to make any sound.

Why does this apraxia occur? What are the causes?

Apraxia occurs when parts of the brain, particularly the parietal lobe, do not function properly. The main cause of this is brain damage.

• Stroke
• Head Trauma
• Diseases such as dementia
• Brain Tumor

However, the exact cause of childhood apraxia of speech is still unknown . Scientists believe it is caused by a malfunction in the signaling between the brain and the muscles needed to speak. Genetic causes and brain abnormalities are still being investigated.

How do you know for sure if this is apraxia?

There is no single test that can accurately diagnose this. Your doctor will come to a conclusion after examining you or your child and carefully studying the symptoms.

• Medical examination: The doctor will ask you to do familiar tasks, such as brushing your teeth and combing your hair. He will also do a physical examination to check for muscle weakness.
• Testing brain function: Several tests can be done on things like memory, language, and problem solving.
• Imaging tests: If there is suspicion of brain damage, a CT scan or MRI scan may be ordered to see where and how far the damage is.

Childhood apraxia of speech is usually diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist . They talk to the child, have them say the same word several times, and examine the child's mouth, tongue, and lips to make a diagnosis. It is usually difficult to diagnose this condition until a child is at least two years old.

What are the treatments for apraxia?

First of all, there is no specific cure for apraxia yet . However, there are treatments that can help manage the condition, reduce symptoms to a great extent, and help people live a normal life.

• Physical Therapy: If you have difficulty moving your limbs, we provide exercises and training to help you.
• Occupational Therapy: Training to be able to do daily tasks like brushing teeth, getting dressed, and eating independently again.
• Speech-Language Therapy: This is especially important for apraxia of speech. Children may need therapy three to five days a week.

In speech therapy, things like this are done:

• Practice pronouncing sounds and words repeatedly.
• Practicing saying words by sitting in front of a mirror and watching how your mouth moves.
• Trying to speak in time with the beat or music.
• In cases where speaking is most difficult, they are also trained to use sign language or electronic devices such as computers.

Apraxia, Apraxia, Apraxia of Speech, Childhood Apraxia, Brain Disease, Speech Disorder, Neurological Disease