What causes childhood apraxia of speech?

What causes childhood apraxia of speech?

Childhood apraxia of speech occurs because of difficulty programming the movements needed for articulation (speech) to occur. The exact cause is unknown.

Children who have CAS may have interruptions in certain nerve pathways in their brains. These nerve pathways are responsible for planning the movements that are necessary for speech. In children who have CAS, the messages from their brain to the parts of their mouth used for speech are not being sent correctly.

Weakness or paralysis of the muscles involved in speech, including those of the lips, jaw and tongue, are not a cause of CAS.

In some cases, CAS is the result of an acquired brain injury, like a stroke, which causes nerve pathway interruptions in a person’s brain.

There is also evidence that genetic conditions can lead to a CAS diagnosis. Studies show that a mutation of the FOXP2 gene leads to a severe form of CAS, along with other neurodevelopmental conditions like autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and epilepsy. Research is ongoing to pinpoint the direct cause of CAS.