Lowcountry SC Walk for Apraxia
While most children almost miraculously learn to speak without effort, children with apraxia struggle mightily to accurately produce sounds, syllables and words. While their understanding of language is usually much better than their ability to express it, children with apraxia have difficulty planning and programming the movements which underlie speech. At the heart of it, speech is more than knowing what you want to say. Rapid and finely graded movements of speech structures (the lips, tongue, palate and jaw, etc.) occur which allow us to clearly articulate our ideas. But for children with apraxia, ideas are often stuck inside, unspoken or not understood, because of apraxia. Childhood Apraxia of Speech is considered rare among speech disorders in children and particularly challenging to overcome.
Each year a growing number of families, friends and supporters of children with apraxia come together at towns and cities throughout North America to participate in the Walk for Apraxia. While the walk is a tremendous avenue to raise awareness about apraxia and raise critical funds for programs and research, it is also so much more. At its heart, the Walk for Apraxia is about the children. Walk day is a chance to celebrate the efforts, persistence, and resilience of children with apraxia. On their special day, children with apraxia get a chance to shine brightly - our shining stars. Many of them do not have the opportunity in other activities to be held up for their accomplishments, but on their Walk for Apraxia day? Well, these children are proudly front and center! Finally, the Walk for Apraxia is a reminder to not only the kids, but also to their families, that they are not alone. At the walk, relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers and community members surround them, creating connection and a web of support.
Come support and raise awareness for apraxia this Saturday, November 4, 2017 at Pigeon Point Park in Beaufort! Register here: http://casana.apraxia-kids.org/site/TR?fr_id=2295&pg=entry
By Krista Flack, MS OTR/L, Pediatric Occupational Therapist
