The Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol (K-SLP), developed by Nancy R. Kaufman, MA, CCC-SLP, is one of the most widely used evidence-based approaches for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Rather than targeting adult speech forms from the outset, K-SLP begins at the child’s current speech-motor level,  identifying which sounds, vowels, and syllable shapes they can already produce, and then systematically shapes those approximations toward full adult speech production. This gives children with severe CAS an immediate, functional way to communicate while building toward greater intelligibility over time.

Bjorem Speech Sound Cues are a visual cueing system developed by Jennie Bjorem, MA, CCC-SLP,
specifically for children with speech sound disorders including CAS. Each abstract speech sound is paired with a vivid, child-friendly image linked to an environmental sound the child already recognizes — giving the brain a concrete visual anchor for a sound that is otherwise invisible. For children with CAS, who often struggle to isolate and imitate individual sounds, the Bjorem cues provide a tangible prompt that bridges intention and production.

A speech delay means a child is developing speech skills in the typical sequence but at a slower pace. An articulation disorder means a child has difficulty producing specific sounds consistently. CAS is a motor planning disorder — the child’s brain has difficulty planning and sequencing the movements required for speech, even though the muscles themselves are intact. CAS cannot be effectively treated with the same approaches used for speech delays or articulation disorders. It requires motor-focused, high-frequency intervention that applies the principles of motor learning.

The research on CAS consistently shows that intensity matters more than almost any other variable.
Children with CAS benefit significantly from high-frequency therapy — multiple sessions per week, especially during periods of active learning. This is the core clinical rationale for the intensive model.

Weekly therapy can maintain skills but rarely produces the rapid motor learning that intensive treatment enables. The specific frequency and duration is determined by each child’s individual motor speech profile and family capacity.

Yes, and this is one of the most common presentations we see. CAS is frequently misidentified as a general language delay, a phonological disorder, or an articulation delay. Children who receive years of therapy targeting the wrong underlying mechanism often show minimal progress. If your child has been in therapy for an extended period without meaningful gains, a comprehensive motor speech evaluation is warranted. The right diagnosis leads to the right treatment — and many families describe the CAS evaluation as the turning point in their child’s progress.

Yes. The K-SLP framework is particularly well-suited for non-verbal and minimally verbal children because it begins at the child’s current speech-motor level regardless of how limited that level currently is. AAC and speech therapy are not competing goals — they are parallel pathways to communication. We support robust AAC use alongside the intensive verbal speech work, and many families find that giving a child a reliable AAC system simultaneously with intensive speech therapy accelerates both verbal and overall communication development.

The first step is a consultation call with our clinical team. We’ll discuss your child’s speech history, current communication profile, and whether a comprehensive motor speech evaluation and the apraxia intensive is the right fit. Contact us to schedule.