Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Supporting Motor Development in a Child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech often need motor support too, because apraxia affects movement planning beyond speech. Help through daily playful repetition, breaking movements into small steps, strengthening core and hands, and pairing movement with speech play — with speech therapy and occupational or physiotherapy working together.
When a child works so hard to make their mouth find words, it's easy to forget that their hands, balance and whole body are growing too — and they often need a gentle hand alongside.
In short
Many children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) also need support with motor skills, because apraxia affects the brain's planning of movement — and that planning matters for hands, balance and coordination as well as speech. You can support motor development through daily playful practice, lots of repetition, and breaking big movements into small steps. A speech therapist and an occupational or physiotherapist working together gives your child the strongest foundation.How to support motor development at home
Build with playful repetition — motor planning grows with practice. Repeat the same movements in fun, varied ways: stacking blocks, threading beads, climbing, hopscotch, ball games. Little and often beats long sessions.Break movements into small steps — like sounds in speech, big actions are easier when chunked. Show "put hand here, then push" rather than expecting the whole sequence at once.
Strengthen the core and hands — crawling tunnels, animal walks, play-dough, tearing paper and finger painting build the stability and fine-motor control that later help with cutlery, buttons and pencils.
Link movement to speech play — clapping syllables, marching to rhythms and action songs pair motor and speech planning together, which children with CAS often enjoy.
Keep it pressure-free — celebrate effort, not perfection. Motor confidence grows fastest when a child feels safe to try and wobble.
Why motor and speech often travel together
CAS is a difficulty in planning and sequencing the movements of speech — and the same motor-planning system can affect gross and fine motor skills. This is why a combined approach, with speech therapy and occupational or physiotherapy, frequently helps a child more than addressing speech alone. Progress in one area often supports the other.The Pinnacle way
A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care — never from an app or a checklist. Our therapists map your child's speech and motor profile together, so support is joined-up rather than piecemeal. Explore our speech therapy and how the AbilityScore® gives an objective, multi-domain baseline to track real progress over time.Trusted sources
Guidance aligns with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) on Childhood Apraxia of Speech, the American Academy of Pediatrics on motor milestones, and CDC developmental-monitoring resources.Next step — book a combined speech-and-motor developmental assessment at your nearest Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, or reach our team on WhatsApp at +91 91001 81181.
This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.
What to watch
Watch whether everyday motor tasks — using cutlery, buttons, climbing, balance — feel much harder than for peers, and whether progress stalls despite practice. Persistent struggle alongside CAS is worth flagging for a combined assessment.
Try this at home
Pick one movement a day and make it a 5-minute game repeated in two or three fun ways — repetition with variety is what helps motor planning grow.
Trusted sources
Developed by SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network · Last reviewed 2026-06-10
This is general information, not a diagnosis. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care.
Frequently asked
Does Childhood Apraxia of Speech affect more than speech?
It can. CAS is a difficulty in planning and sequencing movement, and the same motor-planning system can affect gross and fine motor skills like balance, handwriting or using cutlery. This is why many children benefit from speech therapy and occupational or physiotherapy working together.
What can I do at home to help my child's motor skills?
Use daily playful repetition — stacking, threading, climbing, ball games and action songs. Break big movements into small steps, strengthen the core and hands with play, and keep it pressure-free by celebrating effort rather than perfection.
Should my child see more than a speech therapist?
Often, yes. A combined approach with a speech therapist alongside an occupational therapist or physiotherapist gives joined-up support. A clinician at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre can assess which professionals your child needs.