THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
Foreword from the Apraxia Kids Professional Advisory Council:
Research is vital for improving clinical outcomes for children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). For Apraxia Kids to achieve its mission, evidence-based assessment and treatment of children with CAS is critical. Better diagnosis and treatment will come by rigorously testing clinical and scientific ideas. Apraxia Kids is therefore proud to sponsor research grants on topics related to CAS.
However, research can only be conducted if families choose to participate. Scientists cannot determine what assessment techniques or treatment approaches are most promising without volunteers. Studies may address a number of factors such as different treatment techniques, early identification of CAS, long-term outcomes, speech production and speech perception characteristics, behavioral skills such as memory and attention, or biological factors such as genes and brain characteristics. In some cases, the primary benefits of participating in research may be to help other families down the road, once scientists are able to answer their questions. The outcomes of research are then disseminated to the wider community of clinicians, researchers, and parents through research articles.
If you have participated in research projects related to CAS, the apraxia community thanks you for this vital service.
