{"h1":"Worrying about Childhood Apraxia of Speech in a newborn","faq":[{"a":"No. CAS is a motor-speech difficulty that can only be recognised once a child is attempting words, usually from around 18 months onwards. A newborn is not yet expected to talk, so apraxia cannot be identified at this stage.","q":"Can Childhood Apraxia of Speech be diagnosed in a newborn?"},{"a":"In the first three months, look for the normal foundations: startling or quietening to sounds, eye contact, cooing by about 2 months, comfortable feeding, and social smiling around 6–8 weeks. These are healthy signs that speech can build on later.","q":"What should I look for in my newborn's communication?"},{"a":"From around 18 months, when a toddler is trying words but speech sounds are markedly inconsistent, effortful or hard to understand. Before then, the kinder path is simply to monitor the normal milestones.","q":"When does the question of apraxia actually become meaningful?"},{"a":"Seek a prompt general developmental check — not for apraxia — if your baby does not startle to loud sounds, never settles to your voice, has ongoing feeding or swallowing difficulty, or is unusually floppy or unalert. A hearing screen and paediatric review come first.","q":"When should I seek a check for my newborn?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-that-my-newborn-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","title":"When should I worry that my newborn might have Childhood Apraxia of Speech?","entity":{"key":"dyspraxia-verbal","kind":"condition","name":"Childhood Apraxia of Speech","slug":"childhood-apraxia-of-speech"},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"age","label":"Newborn","value":"newborn"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Communication","value":"communication"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Concern","value":"concern"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Screen","value":"screen"},{"kind":"route","label":"Special-Education","value":"special-education"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Early Clarity","value":"early_clarity"}],"parent":{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-early-signs-of-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-in-a-newborn","title":"Early signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech in a newborn"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-that-my-6-to-9-month-old-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","title":"When to worry about CAS at 6–9 months"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-that-my-3-to-6-month-old-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","title":"When should I worry about apraxia in a 3-to-6-month-old?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-early-signs-of-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-in-a-6-to-9-month-old","title":"Early signs of Childhood Apraxia of Speech at 6–9 months"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-that-my-12-to-18-month-old-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","title":"When to Worry About Apraxia of Speech at 12–18 Months"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-that-my-9-to-12-month-old-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","title":"When should I worry about Childhood Apraxia of Speech at 9–12 months?"}],"summary":"Childhood Apraxia of Speech cannot be identified in a newborn, because a baby this young is not yet expected to talk. The question of CAS only becomes meaningful from around 18 months, when a toddler is attempting words. In the first three months, observe normal foundations — responding to sound, eye contact, cooing, comfortable feeding. Seek a prompt general check (not for apraxia) if there are concerns about hearing, feeding or alertness; only a Pinnacle clinician can assess, never an online form.","answer_md":"*If you have been reading about Childhood Apraxia of Speech and wondering whether your newborn might have it, take a slow breath — this is a loving worry, and the reassurance is genuine.*\n\n## In short\nChildhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor-speech difficulty that can only be recognised once a child is actually attempting words and short phrases — usually well after the first birthday, and often around 18 months to 3 years. It is **not something that can be identified in a newborn**, because a baby this young is not yet expected to talk. So there is nothing to \"watch for\" as apraxia at this stage. What is helpful now is to enjoy and observe the normal building blocks of early communication, and to have a routine developmental check if anything about hearing, feeding or alertness concerns you.\n\n## What is actually appropriate to observe at the newborn stage\nIn the first three months, communication shows up in lovely, simple ways — not in words:\n\n- **Startling or quietening to sounds** and your voice (a basic sign hearing is working)\n- **Making eye contact** and beginning to study faces\n- **Cooing and gurgling** by around 2 months\n- **Feeding comfortably** — sucking, swallowing and coordinating breathing\n- **Calming to your touch and voice**, and beginning to smile socially around 6–8 weeks\n\nThese are the foundations on which speech is later built. If your baby is feeding well, responding to sound and connecting with you, the apraxia question simply does not apply yet.\n\n## When the question of CAS becomes meaningful — and when to check sooner\nConcerns about apraxia genuinely begin to make sense from around **18 months onwards**, when a toddler is trying words but speech sounds are markedly inconsistent, effortful or hard to understand. Before then, the kinder path is to monitor the normal milestones.\n\nDo seek a **prompt check at any age** — not because of apraxia, but for general development — if your newborn does not startle to loud sounds, never seems to settle to your voice, has ongoing feeding or swallowing difficulty, or is unusually floppy or unalert. A hearing screen and a paediatric review come first.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nA clinical [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care — never from an online form or a checklist, and never for a condition before it is age-appropriate to assess. If you would like reassurance now, a gentle developmental check is the right starting point, and our [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) team can guide you on what to expect as your child grows. You can also read more about [Childhood Apraxia of Speech](/childhood-apraxia-of-speech) for the years ahead.\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO ICD-11 (6A01.0, developmental speech sound disorders); American Speech-Language-Hearing Association guidance on Childhood Apraxia of Speech (asha.org); American Academy of Pediatrics early communication and hearing milestones (healthychildren.org).\n\n**Next step —** If anything about your baby's hearing, feeding or alertness worries you, the kindest move is a calm conversation with a clinician. [Book a developmental check](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/enroll-autism-speech-aba-therapies-india) with a Pinnacle team.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-should-i-worry-that-my-newborn-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-should-i-worry-that-my-newborn-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","lang":"en","indexable":true},{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-should-i-worry-that-my-newborn-might-have-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-te","lang":"te","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"}],"meta_title":"Newborn & Childhood Apraxia of Speech: When to Worry","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Talk, sing and respond warmly to your baby's coos throughout the day — this back-and-forth 'serve and return' is the real groundwork for speech. There is no exercise that prevents or causes apraxia; loving, responsive chatter is exactly what a newborn needs.","published_at":"2026-06-10T10:58:00.048774+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"understand","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-affect-a-child-s-daily-life","title":"How does Childhood Apraxia of Speech affect a child's daily life?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-considered-a-disability","title":"Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech considered a disability?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-genetic-or-hereditary","title":"Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech Genetic or Hereditary?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-common-myths-about-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","title":"What are common myths about Childhood Apraxia of Speech?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-types-or-levels-of-childhood-apraxia-of-speech","title":"What are the 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Childhood Apraxia of Speech: what to do next","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-has-an-abilityscore-of-400-500-what-should-we-do-next","title":"AbilityScore 400–500 with Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Your Next Step","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-has-an-abilityscore-of-500-600-what-should-we-do-next","title":"AbilityScore 500–600 with Childhood Apraxia of Speech — next steps","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Explore therapy & support","total":63},{"key":"home","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-support-my-child-with-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-at-home","title":"How to Support Your Child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech at Home","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"At home & in everyday life","total":1}],"what_to_watch":"In the first three months, watch the healthy foundations of communication, not speech: startling or quietening to sounds, eye contact, cooing by about 2 months, comfortable feeding, and social smiling by 6–8 weeks. Apraxia itself is not assessable yet. Seek a prompt general check if your baby does not respond to sound, has feeding or swallowing difficulty, or seems unusually floppy or unalert.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://icd.who.int/browse11","code":"6A01.0","label":"WHO ICD-11: developmental speech sound disorders"},{"url":"https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/childhood-apraxia-of-speech/","label":"ASHA: Childhood Apraxia of Speech"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"AAP HealthyChildren: early communication milestones"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T10:58:00.048774+00:00","meta_description":"Childhood Apraxia of Speech can't be identified in a newborn. Learn what to observe in early months and when speech concerns truly become meaningful.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}