When your child's speech is very difficult to understand and doesn't seem to be following the normal sequence of development, they might have a speech disorder.  There are different types of speech disorders and a full assessment can help to determine which type of disorder they have.

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When their errors are more rule-based and consistent they're more likely to have a phonological speech disorder.  If their errors are inconsistent and they have difficulty sequencing sounds and syllables, they may have a motor speech disorder, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). 

 

Diagnosing the speech disorder correctly is important so that the most effective treatment program can be used. 

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To effectively treat children with severe speech disorders, the practice has been upskilling in Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC), and Rapid Syllable Transition Training (ReST),  both of which are treatments for CAS.  In addition, Kate has been trained in PROMPT, a tactile-kinaesthetic approach to treatment.  

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The Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne provides further information about CAS.

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The Apraxia Kids website is American, but contains useful information.