Announcing our NEW, FREE Lecture Series! In 2022, Apraxia Kids provided a free series of eight lectures for our apraxia community. This Lecture Series consisted of four live lectures designed for parents and caregivers, and four live lectures designed for SLPs and SLP Assistants. The series was well attended both live and as a recording for the nearly 500 registered participants who were from all over the world – including 35 different countries and 43 different US states. This recorded Lecture Series is now available for free viewing as part of our Virtual Education Series, and is an excellent resource for parents/caregivers who have a newly diagnosed or suspected CAS child, and clinicians looking for evidence-based information.

The recorded lectures cover a range of topics, including introductory information about childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), treatment and diagnosis of CAS, strategies for home practice, advocacy, and more. All speakers are Apraxia Kids recognized as having advanced training and expertise in CAS from completing our Intensive Training “Boot Camp.” Each of the lectures are available for ASHA CEUs for any professional needing those for certification/license renewal. See below for the wealth of information available on our Virtual Educational Series.

For Families and Caregivers:

Identifying CAS and Comorbid Challenges by Breanna Waldrup, MS, CCC-SLP
This session describes the characteristics of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and what co-occurring challenges can occur in children with CAS. Some comorbid challenges that are discussed include literacy, learning disorders, developmental coordination disorder, social-emotional challenges, neurodevelopmental challenges, and genetic conditions.

What CAS Therapy Should Look Like by Aubrie Hagopian, MA, CCC-SLP
This lecture explains the principles of motor learning (PML) and how they impact speech therapy for childhood apraxia of speech. Each PML is explored with a description of how it should be used in therapy and what therapy sessions may look like.

How Families Can Help at Home by Denise Santos Ford, MS, CCC-SLP, CA SLP
Treatment for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) requires frequent and intense therapy sessions. Whether your child attends therapy once a week or 5 days a week, most of their time is spent outside of the therapy room. This course discusses ways to incorporate therapy into everyday life. Participants are taught effective ways to implement home and school carryover. Attendees learn how to encourage positive practice without pushing too much.

Advocacy Tips for Families by Anne Hodits, MA, CCC-SLP/L and Jennifer Sakowicz, MS, CCC-SLP
Parents and caregivers of children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) want to be knowledgeable of how to best support their child’s needs. This presentation describes how parents and caregivers can advocate for their children in their community.

For Professionals:

Introduction to Diagnosing Childhood Apraxia of Speech by Breanna Waldrup, MS, CCC-SLP
This session defines childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and outlines the characteristics that are most likely to distinguish CAS from other speech sound disorders. Current best practices and key assessment components for diagnosing CAS are discussed. Additional CAS resources are also shared.

Evidence-Based Practice for Treating CAS by Aubrie Hagopian, MA, CCC-SLP and Tali Kellerstein, MA, MHSC, S-LP (C), PROMPT Cert.
This lecture provides viewers with the definitions of and an understanding of the components of evidence-based practice (EBP), clinical considerations for EBP, as well as application to motor speech data.

Treatment Strategies for CAS and Comorbid Challenges by Lisa Kohel, B.ED., MSLP, R.SLP (C) and Lyndsay Bourdeau, MSc-SLP, R.SLP, SLP (C)
Deciding where to start in treatment is a challenge for clinicians. What approaches have the most research-supported evidence? How can I apply principles of motor learning? My client has co-occurring difficulties, what do I do? This session discusses evidence-based treatment practices and strategies to use in clinical practice while considering common comorbid challenges.

Goals and Target Selection by Tali Kellerstein, MA, MHSC, S-LP (C), PROMPT Cert. and Denise Santos Ford, MS, CCC-SLP, CA SLP
This course encompasses treatment planning for children throughout their therapy journey. Specifically addressed were how to create goals, pick targets, and monitor progress for children who present with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) across a variety of stages including minimally verbal, moderately verbal with decreased intelligibility, and those who are conversational with residual motor planning deficits. This session also discusses how to evaluate ongoing treatment with probe data and how to apply that information appropriately.

If you are a professional seeking free ASHA CEUs for any of the Lecture Series webinars, you MUST complete the following steps in order for Apraxia Kids to submit your eligible CEUs to ASHA on your behalf:

1. Log in to access the quiz and survey.
2. Complete the corresponding quiz with a score of 80% or higher.
3. Complete the corresponding course evaluation/survey.

You can find the ASHA CEU Requirements (quiz and survey) under each video you view, as well as the handouts and certificate of completion for your records. Any questions about CEUs for the Lecture Series can be sent to webinar@apraxia-kids.org.

Enjoy our free Lecture Series!