Acquired apraxia of speech (AOS) can be deeply frustrating for a person and their family. The person knows what they want to say, and their muscles are not weak. The difficulty is in the planning: the brain has trouble sequencing the precise movements that speech requires. Words may come out distorted or halting, or not at all, even when the same word came easily a day earlier.
This is a motor planning disorder, not a thinking disorder. AOS does not affect intelligence.
A Quick Note on Apraxia of Speech
AOS happens when there's damage to the parts of the brain that plan and program speech movements. Common causes include:
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury
- Brain tumors or surgery to remove them
- Progressive neurological conditions, including primary progressive apraxia of speech
AOS often occurs alongside aphasia or dysarthria, and part of an evaluation is working out which difficulties are present. Unlike dysarthria, AOS is not caused by muscle weakness. Unlike aphasia, it is not a problem with understanding or finding language. Childhood apraxia of speech is a separate disorder, and this page covers only adults.
What Apraxia of Speech Can Look Like
No two people experience AOS the same way. Depending on severity and cause, changes might include:
- Speech sounds that come out distorted, or swapped for other sounds
- Slow, effortful speech with pauses between syllables and words
- Visible searching or “groping” with the mouth before a word comes out
- False starts, restarts, and repeated attempts at the same word
- Uneven rhythm, with equal stress on every syllable instead of natural emphasis
- Different mistakes each time the same word is attempted
- Automatic phrases (“hello,” “I love you,” counting) coming more easily than new sentences
How Therapy Helps
AOS therapy is built around the specific pattern of difficulty a person is experiencing. Because speech is a motor skill, treatment relies on focused, repeated practice. Treatment may include:
- Motor speech practice: structured, repetitive practice of sounds, words, and phrases to rebuild accurate movement patterns
- Cueing: guiding speech with what you see, hear, and feel, such as modeling, mirrors, and touch cues
- Rate and rhythm strategies: using pacing, tapping, and natural stress patterns to smooth out speech
- Script training: practicing personally meaningful phrases until they're automatic enough to use in real conversation
- Communication supports: gesture, writing, or communication devices when speech needs backup
- Caregiver strategies: coaching family members on ways to reduce frustration and make conversations easier
Who This Is For
This service is a fit if you or a loved one:
- Has had a stroke, brain injury, or neurological diagnosis and now has effortful, distorted, or halting speech
- Knows exactly what they want to say but can't get the sounds to come out right
- Wants a partner in rebuilding speech, not just a checklist of drills
Getting Started
We offer home visits across New York City and virtual sessions across New York State. Every plan starts with an individualized evaluation, so treatment reflects your specific pattern of apraxia of speech and any co-occurring aphasia or dysarthria, not a one-size-fits-all program.
Ready to talk about next steps? Call (917) 524-6302 or reach out online to schedule a consultation.
Learn what to expect during your evaluation