Apraxia Kids is the leading nonprofit that strengthens the support systems in the lives of children with apraxia of speech by educating professionals and families; facilitating community engagement and outreach; and investing in the future through advocacy and research.  

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. 

As a pillar of our mission, Apraxia Kids funded its first research grant in 2009 to advance what is known about defining characteristics, causes, and effective assessment and treatment for children with CAS. Edwin Maas, PhD at Temple University and member of our Professional Advisory Council (PAC), states that Apraxia Kids “didn’t just invest in building an evidence base, but also invested in building a research capacity by supporting more junior researchers to be successful…” Since our first research grant was funded, there has been an explosion of research and published articles in the area of childhood apraxia of speech which have proven to be invaluable to the apraxia community in supporting assessment and treatment decision-making.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we are excited to announce that we will be accepting Research Proposals for new grant funding in mid-October.

It can be hard to stay on top of all of the evidence as well as to know what studies your child could participate in. Researchers recorded video segments highlighting the status of their current research projects on features, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of CAS for the 2021 Apraxia Kids National Conference. Apraxia Kids also showcases current research studies on our website serving as a connection for academic researchers looking to identify participants for their childhood apraxia of speech focused studies. 

To help stay on top of current research, Apraxia Kids provides summaries of published research articles along with links to the articles. In addition, we highlight new findings and information around a topic. We have developed a new module on CAS and genetics with the help of Angela Morgan, PhD and PAC member from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and her colleagues. The module includes a newly developed webinar and article discussing the current knowledge base around genetic causes of CAS. 

Besides funding studies, Apraxia Kids is also a convener of research by bringing researchers together at a Research Symposium in 2002 and then again in 2013. Researchers from across the globe came together to share their latest research, develop ideas for future initiatives, and create partnerships with one another.

Research can only be conducted if families choose to participate. Scientists cannot determine what assessment techniques or treatment approaches are most effective and who they are most appropriate for without volunteers. We encourage you to visit our website to determine if a study is right for you.

Apraxia Kids values innovation and is committed to funding research initiatives around the world thanks to the generous support of our community.