Speech Treatment for Minimally Verbal Children With ASD and CAS
Trial Parameters
Brief Summary
Comorbid Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) may be one factor that limits speech development in some minimally verbal children with autism. CAS is a disorder affecting speech movement planning. This study tests whether CAS-specific treatment, appropriately modified for minimally verbal children with autism, improves their speech.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Meets criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder * Able to correctly repeat at least 2 syllables * Meets criteria for Childhood Apraxia of Speech * Lives in an environment where child is exposed to English at least 50% of the time Exclusion Criteria: * Poorly controlled seizures * Factors such as blindness or deafness that contribute to minimally verbal status * Lives in an environment where English is not spoken at least 50% of the time * Child experiences behavioral challenges that preclude participation in the study