Giving a voice to individuals with Speech Apraxia
Childhood Apraxia of Speech
(Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia)
Acquired apraxia of speech
Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech
About Speech Apraxia UK
Welcome to Speech Apraxia UK
We are a growing, internationally recognised leading non-commercial community organisation. We support those with apraxia of speech, whether childhood, acquired, or primary progressive.
Services we offer-
Advice from a team of specialists
Resource Hub
Comprehensive information on therapies and diagnoses
Showcase research and recruit participants/collaborators
Parent/Carer network
Events/training
Newsletter
Therapy App reviews
Extensive resource gallery.
Speech Apraxia UK — Reaching 50+ countries, 70,000 monthly visits to our website and social media network to raise awareness worldwide.
Our aim is to empower, inform, and support people with apraxia of speech. Thank you for joining our Speech Apraxia UK community
Ruth Rowntree—Founder of Speech Apraxia UK
Become a member of Speech Apraxia UK
It is FREE
Get our newsletter
Hear about events
Get the latest news
Get involved with our work
Join our parent/carer support network
Volunteer
Get advice and assistance.
Your membership enables us to
- Better understand our membership so we can offer appropriate support, activities, and events;
- Know how many of you have speech apraxia and/orare relatives or professionals
- It helps us to design the website and our social media coverage based on your needs, interests and geographical location
Use this link
https://forms.office.com/r/6t0msV1w9z
.
Get Involved
Need advice or have a question?
Training/lived experience talk (FREE *)
Training/lived experience talk (FREE *)
Our amazing team of SLTs/SLPs the ‘Friends of Speech Apraxia’ are here to help. They’ve generously offered their time and expertise to answer your questions. Use this form to reach out for information, support, and friendly advice https://forms.office.com/r/1T5mpuw5JS
Training/lived experience talk (FREE *)
Training/lived experience talk (FREE *)
Training/lived experience talk (FREE *)
We can offer training or personal experience talks. These are FREE if online to a non-funded group. Otherwise there is a small charge to cover our running costs.https://forms.office.com/r/aJS92UAjFq
Get more involved
Training/lived experience talk (FREE *)
Share research/recruit participants /product reviews
https://forms.office.com/r/BSgPakqSBC
We would love to have your more involved in our training/awareness and advocacy work.
Share research/recruit participants /product reviews
Share research/recruit participants /product reviews
Share research/recruit participants /product reviews
Help to support our running costs.
Share research/recruit participants /product reviews
Affiliate your organisation with Speech Apraxia UK
Currently Speech Apraxia UK is mainly self-funded. Most of our services are FREE. We provide extensive support, information, and awareness around Speech Apraxia. If you would like to contribute, it would really help. Please use the secure 'Stripe' donation link.
Affiliate your organisation with Speech Apraxia UK
Share research/recruit participants /product reviews
Affiliate your organisation with Speech Apraxia UK
Be recognized on our website and in our publications and affiliate with us.
Gain access to exclusive updates on research, events, and awareness campaigns.
Have opportunities to collaborate on awareness initiatives and events.
Receive invitations to contribute to Q&A sessions, training, and resource development.
Join a growing network of professionals, researchers, and advocates committed to making a difference
Training and events
Unique Frends Childhood Apraxia of Speech training
Unique Frends Childhood Apraxia of Speech training
Unique Frends Childhood Apraxia of Speech training
Ruth Rowntree, founder of Speech Apraxia UK is providing a FREE training session on Childhood apraxia of speech hosted by the fantastic organisation Unique Friends, with other groups also invited to attend, 22nd September 19.30. The group provides support, advice, and guidance for children, young people, and adults with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. Training is online.
www.uniquefriends.org.uk
Previous Training
Unique Frends Childhood Apraxia of Speech training
Unique Frends Childhood Apraxia of Speech training
Speech Apraxia UK and its founder, Ruth Rowntree have provided lived experience talks and training to SLTs, groups, and organisations on a wide range of topics. Training to non-funded organisations is FREE*. Book using the QR code or email info@speechapraxia.co.uk
Testimonials
SLT University student: 'i did not realise the lifelong impact of childhood apraxia of speech.
SLT professional: 'it was inspiring and informative.'
Joint training and conferences
Unique Frends Childhood Apraxia of Speech training
Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech Quiz
We welcome requests for joint training and conference contributions. Please email info@speechapraxia.co.uk
Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech Quiz
Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech Quiz
Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech Quiz
https://forms.office.com/r/9SGYnivJav
Have a go and develop your knowledge
Childhood Apraxia of Speech Quiz
Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech Quiz
Childhood Apraxia of Speech Quiz
https://forms.office.com/r/cej9fNkMht
Quick check to see what you know
Acquired Apraxia of Speech Quiz
Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech Quiz
Childhood Apraxia of Speech Quiz
https://forms.office.com/r/UE6yQ64ZR1
Review your understanding
Meet us
Ruth, Founder of 'Speech Apraxia UK'
I was born with childhood apraxia of speech, also known as developmental verbal dyspraxia. Around the age of two, my parents became increasingly concerned about my lack of speech and took me to see a speech and language therapist. At that time, they had never really heard of a child being unable to speak. I remained in speech therapy for five years, working with the same therapist three times a week. This was the beginning of my journey with speech and language therapy, and I have had several periods of therapy since. I have now moved onto qualify as a speech and language therapist.
Speech apraxia, however, is a lifelong neurological inefficiency, and I still experience residual symptoms. Throughout my journey, I found there to be very low awareness of speech apraxia, even among professionals. I felt there was a real need for an organisation that could become a centre of expertise in speech apraxia, not only developmental but also acquired and primary progressive. I wanted to create a place where people like me, as well as professionals, parents, and carers, could find knowledge and support.
I went on to train as a speech and language therapist, and the course gave me the knowledge and grounding I needed to establish Speech Apraxia UK. I am proud of what we have become today. Our website, speechapraxia.co.uk, and social media receive around 70000 visits a month. We now have a team of specialists in the field to respond to enquiries , and, most importantly, we are supporting an increasing number of individuals affected by speech apraxia.
Hazel Shaw,(Specialist Independent Speech and Language Therapist)- Friends of Speech Childhood Apraxia of Speech Expert
Our fantastic Friends of Speech Apraxia Specialists have volunteered to answer your speech apraxia questions.
Meet Hazel- Ruth invited me to become a Friend of Speech Apraxia UK and I am always eager to support any initiative that raises awareness and understanding of CAS, as well as improves access to essential specialist services. CAS is a highly specialised area and many Speech and Language Therapists have limited experience in working with it. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and experience with others to help ensure the best possible outcomes for the children we support.
Chelsea Hulse- Friends of Speech Apraxia Parent Champion
Our amazing Parent and Carer Champions have volunteered to support other parents or carers of others with speech apraxia.
Meet Chelsea
Hi everyone! I’m Chelsea, a nurse & mother to two boys, Logan & Lucas. Lucas has a diagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech & Developmental Co-ordination Disorder. Our journey has helped to lay the foundations for my growing interest in CAS & communication as a whole I am so excited to become a Parent Champion with Speech Apraxia UK, & see what this community can achieve! My hope is that no one with CAS feels alone or disadvantaged by their diagnosis.
News and events
Elliot's Voice
From a kitchen table laminator to schools, parks & even fire stations — Kendra Frank turned her son Elliott’s CAS journey into Elliott’s Voice. Her organization, which she founded in 2023, aims to provide accessible visual supports to children and adults who are nonverbal or have limited verbal abilities,
Join the speech apraxia discussion on Facebook
Join our Facebook community to discuss all things Apraxia of Speech - Facebook
No longer who I used to be says Kris Kamara
Chris Kamara admits, 'I'm no longer the person I used to be' and reveals deep regret. Sky Sports star Chris Kamara's life was turned upside down in 2022 when he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech (AOS), which also affected his balance and coordination.
Chris, 67, flew to Mexico for treatment in a bid to reverse or slow down some of the effects of the neurological disorder, which include difficulty when speaking. However, despite initial success, the machine that transmitted radio frequency and magnetic fields into the body similar to an MRI became less effective, resulting in Chris stopping treatment(Mirror, 2025).
Are you interested in being involved in Wait Up SLT advisory group
Powering Speech: Can Brain Stimulation Boost Therapy for Speech Apraxia?
Powering Speech: Can Brain Stimulation Boost Therapy for Speech Apraxia?
Imagine improving speech by applying a gentle electrical current to the brain. That’s what researchers explored using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive technique that targets brain areas to enhance function.
They focused on the left inferior frontal gyrus, key to speech production to see if pairing tDCS with therapy could help people with apraxia of speech linked to non-fluent primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA).
Eight participants received either real or sham tDCS during word-production therapy. Those with active tDCS showed shorter speech sound durations, indicating smoother, more efficient speech. Remarkably, gains lasted two months and applied to untrained words.
This study suggests that brain stimulation may enhance traditional speech therapy, offering new hope for those with progressive speech disorders (Themistocleous et al., 2021).
Put it in the diary!
Powering Speech: Can Brain Stimulation Boost Therapy for Speech Apraxia?
May 14th is Apraxia Awareness day, here at Speech Apraxia UK. We want to use this opportunity to spread awareness and campaign for better access to resources. Tell us what you would like?
October 6-12 is Dsypraxia Awareness week see www.dyspraxiamagazine.com for more info.
Twenty-Third Biennial Conference on Motor Speech (CMS 2026) Tempe, Arizona. February 25–28, 2026 focused on motor speech disorders, speech motor control, and innovations in speech assessment.
Apraxia Kids July 9-11 2026 National Conference Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Esteemed International Expert to Contribute Guest Piece on Apraxia of Speech
We are absolutely delighted to share that Professor Emeritus Anita van der Merwe globally respected leader in the field of motor speech disorders — has shared warm praise for our new website and has also kindly agreed to contribute as a guest writer.
In her message, Professor van der Merwe wrote:
“Congratulations on your website for apraxia of speech for people in the UK and elsewhere; it is a great website!”
We are even more thrilled to announce that Professor van der Merwe will be writing a special guest piece for the site, focusing on apraxia of speech and approaches to speech motor treatment.
We’re truly excited and honoured to welcome her voice to the website.
Unique - Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group
Did you know joining Unique is completely FREE?
If you have a rare chromosome or gene disorder you can join our membership to access our support, expertise and get connected with other families affected by the same condition. We'd love to have you join our supportive community.
https://rarechromo.org/join-us/
Please consider using the template to write to your MP, or email them to ask them to vote for this.
Please consider using the template to write to your MP, or email them to ask them to vote for this.
RCSLT position paper Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Childhood Apraxia of speech - Developmental verbal dyspraxia of speech
Fantastic resource released in 2024 by the British Royal College of Speech and Language therapists outlining main Childhood Apraxia of speech / developmental verbal dyspraxia.
Disclaimer
While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information on this website (www.speechapraxia.co.uk), the content is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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