Apraxia of Speech in Adults

From its earliest descriptions, apraxia of speech has been the topic of debate with respect to its nature as a deficit in language and/or motor control, its clinical features, and the methods that most effectively address this perplexing communicative disorder. SLPs tend to feel best prepared to recognize and treat apraxia of speech during early rehabilitation after a stroke or other brain injury; yet the bulk of the AOS treatment literature describes the benefits of treatment in the chronic phase of recovery. Moreover, a growing literature now recognizes that apraxia of speech can be the presenting feature of degenerative neurologic disease. This course will consider the state of the science surrounding apraxia of speech and review strategies for assessment and treatment with consideration of chronicity, severity, and concurrent impairments. Case examples will be employed throughout the discussion to allow participants to apply the concepts presented. Participant questions and involvement will be highly encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Heather M. Clark, Ph.D. CCC-SLP BC-ANCDS

Dr. Heather Clark is chair of the Division of Speech Pathology and Associate Professor in the College of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. Her work with childhood apraxia of speech has been strongly influenced by her mentor, Dr. Edy Strand and her colleagues Dr. Ruth Stoeckel and Ms. Becky Baas. In her role as Consultant at Mayo Clinic, she has the opportunity to assess children and adults from across the U.S. and the world, seeking to better understand the relative contribution of language, learning, and motor speech impairments to a patient’s communication impairments. She has published and presented dozens of articles, book chapters, conference abstracts, university and advanced courses on pediatric motor speech disorders. She is an award-winning researcher and teacher, fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and grandmother to Valya, a very sweet bilingual toddler.

Course Outcomes

• Describe the hallmark features of apraxia of speech as it presents at various points of chronicity and with varying severity.
• Discuss how assessment and treatment methods are employed with patients experiencing apraxia of speech at various points of chronicity.
• Employ tools to assist in identifying and evaluating the most relevant research findings to inform evidence-based practice.

Program Flow

• Overview of AOS
• Clinical features
• Severity
• Chronicity
• Explanations of AOS
• Neurologic substrates
• Assessment of AOS
• Overview of assessment
• Consideration of severity
• Consideration of chronicity
• Treatment of AOS
• Guiding frameworks
• Consideration of chronicity
• Consideration of severity
• Standardized treatment protocols
• Comprehensibility strategies