Childhood Apraxia of Speech Therapy in Dubai

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) can be confusing for families. Your child may understand almost everything you say, have plenty they want to tell you, and still struggle to get the words out in a way others can follow. At ABLE UK, our speech-language pathologists provide motor-based apraxia of speech therapy for children in Dubai, using approaches such as PROMPT and the Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol, with sessions in English, Arabic or both at our Dubai Healthcare City and JLT clinics.

This guide explains what CAS is, how it differs from other speech difficulties, how we assess for it and what therapy involves, so you can make an informed decision about the next step.

What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder. The muscles of the lips, jaw and tongue are not weak. The difficulty is in planning and programming the sequence of movements needed to produce speech. A child with CAS knows what they want to say, but the instructions from the brain to the speech muscles do not arrive in a reliable, well-timed order.

That is why speech in CAS often looks inconsistent. A child may say a word clearly once and then be unable to repeat it, or may manage single sounds but lose accuracy when sounds are joined into syllables, words and sentences. CAS is sometimes called developmental verbal dyspraxia, particularly in the UK.

CAS can occur on its own, or alongside other conditions such as Down syndrome, autism, genetic syndromes or language disorder. In many children no single cause is identified.

Signs of apraxia of speech in children

No single sign confirms CAS, and many of these features can appear in other speech difficulties too. Clinicians look at the overall pattern. Signs that may point towards apraxia include:

In toddlers

Limited babbling as a baby, or babbling with few different sounds
First words arriving late, or words that appear and then seem to disappear
Relying heavily on gestures, pointing or leading an adult by the hand
Understanding that is much stronger than spoken language

In preschool children

Inconsistent errors, where the same word comes out differently each time
Difficulty moving smoothly between sounds and syllables, with pauses or breaks
Vowel errors as well as consonant errors
Groping or visible searching movements of the mouth before speaking
Words that are easier to say spontaneously than on request
Speech that becomes less clear as words and sentences get longer

In school-age children

Continued difficulty with longer words such as “hippopotamus” or “computer”
Unusual stress or rhythm, so speech can sound flat or choppy
Frustration or reluctance to speak, especially with unfamiliar people
Difficulties with reading, spelling or phonological awareness

If you recognise several of these signs, an assessment is the clearest way to understand what is happening. Our general guide to the common speech disorders in children may also help.

Apraxia or speech delay? How clinicians tell the difference

CAS is one of several reasons a young child may be hard to understand. Telling them apart matters, because each needs a different kind of therapy.

Phonological delay or disorder: the child uses predictable sound patterns, such as saying “tat” for “cat” every time. Errors are consistent, and therapy targets the sound system rather than movement planning. See speech sound disorder therapy.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech: errors are inconsistent, transitions between sounds are effortful, vowels are often affected, and difficulty grows with word length. Therapy targets the planning of movement sequences.
Dysarthria: speech is affected by weakness, reduced tone or poor coordination of the speech muscles themselves, for example in cerebral palsy. Voice quality, breath support and resonance are often involved.
Oral-motor or myofunctional difficulties: the child may have difficulty with jaw stability, tongue placement or lip closure that affects both speech and feeding. These can occur alongside CAS and are addressed through oral placement therapy or myofunctional therapy.
Language delay: the child has fewer words and simpler sentences, but the words they do use are usually produced consistently. See language delay therapy.

A diagnosis of CAS can be difficult to confirm in very young children or in children with very few words. In those cases a therapist may describe “suspected CAS” and begin motor-based therapy, reviewing the picture as speech develops.

How we assess for apraxia of speech

Assessment begins with a parent consultation, where we discuss your child’s history, the languages spoken at home and what you have noticed. A formal assessment then usually includes:

An oral structure and function examination, looking at the lips, jaw, tongue and palate at rest and in movement
Speech sampling across single sounds, syllables, words of increasing length and connected speech
Repeated productions of the same words to check consistency
Diadochokinetic tasks, such as repeating “pa-ta-ka”, to look at sequencing and rate
Assessment of receptive and expressive language, so the speech difficulty is seen in context
A feeding and oral-motor screen where relevant

You receive a written report explaining the findings, the working diagnosis and our recommended therapy plan. With your consent, we can share it with your child’s paediatrician or school.

How we treat apraxia of speech

Therapy for CAS is built on the principles of motor learning: many practice attempts of carefully chosen targets, with feedback that is gradually faded so the child takes over control of the movements. Your child’s therapist selects and combines approaches according to the assessment findings.

PROMPT

PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) is a tactile-kinaesthetic approach. The therapist uses specific touch cues on the jaw, face and under the chin to guide the timing, direction and placement of speech movements. Cues are reduced as the child becomes more independent. Several ABLE UK speech-language pathologists are trained to PROMPT Level 3.

Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol (K-SLP)

K-SLP shapes simplified word approximations towards accurate words in small, achievable steps, building a reliable core vocabulary that the child can then combine into phrases. It is particularly useful for children who currently have very few consistent words.

Oral placement support

Where a child with CAS also has difficulty with jaw stability, lip rounding or tongue placement, our therapists may add TalkTools oral placement techniques so the child has a stronger motor base for speech. This is coordinated with our oral placement therapy team.

AAC alongside speech

Some children with CAS benefit from augmentative and alternative communication, such as signs, picture symbols or a speech-generating device, while their speech develops. Research does not suggest that AAC stops children talking; for many it reduces frustration and supports language growth. Read more about AAC speech therapy.

Practice at home

Short, frequent practice outside sessions is central to progress in CAS. We give families a small set of target words and phrases, show you how to cue them, and update them as your child moves on.

How often, and for how long?

Children with CAS generally make better progress with frequent therapy than with occasional sessions, and many therapists recommend two or more sessions a week, particularly in the early stages. CAS is usually a longer-term difficulty, and the length of therapy depends on its severity, any other conditions and how much practice is possible at home.

We set measurable goals with you, review progress every three months and adjust the plan as your child develops. We will always give you an honest view of how your child is responding.

Apraxia of speech in bilingual children

Many children in Dubai grow up with two or more languages. Bilingualism does not cause CAS, and children with CAS can continue to use more than one language. Our Arabic-speaking and bilingual speech-language pathologists can assess and treat in Arabic, English or both, and help you decide which language to focus on first based on where your child communicates most. Our article on speech delays in multilingual children explains more.

Working with your child’s wider team

Children with CAS often have other needs too. Because ABLE UK provides speech and language therapy, oral placement therapy, myofunctional therapy, paediatric feeding therapy, occupational therapy and ABA under one roof, your child’s therapists can share goals and coordinate their work. Children who also have fine motor or motor planning difficulties in other areas may benefit from an occupational therapy assessment.

Your apraxia of speech team

Apraxia of speech therapy at ABLE UK is led by speech-language pathologists with PROMPT Level 3 training, including Sruthy Sankar, Priya Rego, Anusha Abdul Ali and Rushda Hussain. Bilingual Arabic and English sessions are available with Sahar Elsamahi, who is also trained in K-SLP.

Apraxia of speech therapy in Dubai Healthcare City and JLT

ABLE UK has supported children and families in Dubai since 2014, building on 25 years of UK clinical heritage. We are DHA-licensed and DHCC-credentialed, with two clinics:

Dubai Healthcare City: 2nd Floor, Building 33, convenient for Bur Dubai, Oud Metha, Downtown and DIFC
JLT: Office 1605, 16th Floor, Fortune Executive Tower, Cluster T, DMCC, convenient for Dubai Marina, JBR, TECOM and Al Barsha

To book a parent consultation, call 04 552 0351 or message us on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions about apraxia of speech

What is the difference between apraxia of speech and a speech delay?

In a speech delay, a child develops speech in the usual order but later than expected, and errors tend to be consistent. In Childhood Apraxia of Speech, the difficulty is in planning and sequencing speech movements, so errors are often inconsistent, vowels may be affected and speech becomes harder as words get longer. An assessment by a speech-language pathologist is needed to tell them apart.

At what age can apraxia of speech be diagnosed?

Signs can be noticed in toddlers, but a confident diagnosis is often difficult before a child has enough words to assess, usually around age two to three. Younger children may be described as having suspected CAS and can start motor-based therapy straight away, with the diagnosis reviewed as speech develops.

Will my child grow out of apraxia of speech?

CAS does not usually resolve on its own without targeted therapy. With appropriate, frequent therapy and practice at home, many children make substantial progress in speech clarity, although the rate of progress varies from child to child and some children need support over several years.

What is the best therapy for Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

There is no single approach that suits every child. Motor-based approaches built on the principles of motor learning are recommended for CAS. At ABLE UK, therapists use PROMPT and the Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol, adding oral placement or AAC support where it helps, and choose the combination according to each child’s assessment.

How often should a child with apraxia have speech therapy?

Children with CAS generally do better with frequent sessions, and two or more sessions a week is often recommended, especially early on. Short daily practice at home between sessions is also important. Your therapist will recommend a frequency after assessment.

Does using AAC stop a child with apraxia from talking?

Current research does not show that AAC stops children from developing speech. For many children with CAS, signs, picture symbols or a speech device reduce frustration and support language development while speech is being built.

Do you offer apraxia of speech therapy in Arabic?

Yes. Our team includes Arabic-speaking and bilingual speech-language pathologists, so assessment and therapy can be delivered in Arabic, English or both, depending on your child’s home and school languages.

How do I book an apraxia of speech assessment at ABLE UK?

Call 04 552 0351 or message us on WhatsApp to book a parent consultation at our Dubai Healthcare City or JLT clinic. We will discuss your concerns and arrange a full speech assessment if it is needed.

Book an apraxia of speech assessment

Talk to our speech therapy team about your child’s speech, what you have noticed and whether a motor speech assessment is the right next step.

Book a consultation WhatsApp us

Clinically reviewed by Sruthy Sankar, Lead Speech-Language Pathologist at ABLE UK (Master of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, PROMPT Level 3, OPT Level 3 Specialist, Certified Myofunctional Therapist). Last reviewed October 2026.