Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) Therapy in Ottawa
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Common reasons families reach out
Inconsistent errors on the same word
Groping or struggling to start sounds
Limited consonant and vowel inventory
Existing CAS diagnosis from a specialist
Understanding the Concern
What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder in which a child has difficulty planning and coordinating the precise movements needed for speech — even though there’s nothing wrong with the muscles themselves.
CAS is different from articulation or phonological disorders. The hallmark feature is inconsistency — your child might say a word three different ways in three minutes. They may also have visible struggle, “groping” mouth movements, and unusual prosody (the rhythm and stress of speech).
CAS is relatively rare, and a true diagnosis requires careful assessment. Many children referred with suspected CAS actually have severe phonological disorders — the treatment approach differs significantly between the two.
Hallmark features of CAS
- Inconsistent errors on the same word
- Difficulty transitioning between sounds and syllables
- Visible groping or struggle to produce sounds
- Atypical prosody (flat, robotic, or sing-song)
- Better understanding than speaking
- Slow progress with traditional articulation therapy
Movement & Milestone Checklists
Vitality Kids Family Physiotherapy and Wellness Centre
Know the Signs
CAS Requires Specialized Treatment
High frequency: Multiple short therapy sessions per week generally outperform one long session.
Mass practice: Many repetitions of a small target set, with variability built in.
Multimodal cueing: Visual, tactile, and auditory cues to help the child plan the movement (PROMPT-informed approaches, Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing).
Functional words first: Targeting words your child needs daily, not random sound lists.
Family involvement: Parent practice between sessions is essential — we coach you on how.
Why Ottawa Parents Choose Us
The Vitality Kids Difference
Registered SLPs
Play-based therapy
Family-centred plans
Direct billing
How We Help
Our Approach to CAS Therapy
01
Differential Assessment
02
Motor-Based Treatment Plan
High-Frequency Practice
Family Coaching
Heard From Ottawa Families
- Ottawa location
- Parking
- Transit
- Insurers we direct-bill
Meet Our Pediatric Speech & Language Pathologist
Elaine Down
Book an appointment with Elaine Down
Speech & Language Pathologist
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How is CAS different from a "late talker" or articulation problem?
Who diagnoses CAS?
How often does my child need therapy?
Will my child be able to speak normally?
Related Concerns
Explore Other Speech & Language Areas
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Visit Us
Vitality Kids — Riverside South, Ottawa
Click any concern below to learn about signs, our approach, and how we tailor therapy for children in Riverside South and across Ottawa.
Vitality Kids Family Physiotherapy & Wellness Centre
Address
Earl Armstrong Plaza
160 Blanca Street, Unit 9
Gloucester, ON K1V 2V6
PHONE
Parking & Transit
Free on-site parking at Earl Armstrong Plaza. Accessible by OC Transpo bus routes serving Riverside South and Findlay Creek.
Areas We Serve
Riverside South, Findlay Creek, Barrhaven, Manotick, Greely, and surrounding south Ottawa communities.
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Vitality is a physiotherapy and wellness centre with four locations in Ottawa, Kemptville, and Kanata, Ontario, Canada.
Locations
Vitality Kids
Earl Armstrong Plaza- 160 Blanca Street, Unit 9
Hours
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