
The assessed functions may differ on each patient and range from simple motor skills to communication and emotions. Awake craniotomy is extremely valuable in diffuse brain tumors, in which the neurosurgical team must optimize the balance between tumor removal and risk of postsurgical tumor-related language disorders. The mapping process (positive or negative) is typically conducted with direct electrical stimulation which is used to identify eloquent brain areas and protect them from the resection. Awake brain surgery (or awake craniotomy) is a type of surgical procedure performed on the brain, while the patient is fully awake and participates in various tasks. Like her on Facebook, follow her on Pinterest, or visit her website at.

She's CASANA-certified for advanced training and clinical expertise in Childhood Apraxia of Speech and often speaks at conferences and consults for school districts or other professionals. Laura Smith, MA, CCC-SLP, is a school-based and private clinician in the Denver metro area specializing in childhood apraxia of speech.

These are early signs, but many overlap with other phonologic and language delays, so it’s important to keep in mind that differential diagnosis is critical, as over-diagnosis of CAS remains problematic.

#Apraxia of speech professional#
In addition, ASHA denotes that the qualified professional to diagnose CAS is an SLP with specialized knowledge in motor learning theory and skills with differential diagnosis in childhood motor speech disorder, not a neurologist or other medical practitioner. I urge all SLPs to learn more about CAS, because the disorder requires a specialized approach different from other commonly used treatments for speech and language delays. I hadn't yet worked in early intervention, so I missed what seem like obvious signs to me now that I specialize in the disorder. Perhaps that’s why I was bewildered, angry and utterly devastated when I missed those very signs in my own child. I took professional development workshops on childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and treated it successfully in three kiddos from my caseload. I worked primarily at the elementary and middle-school levels. I was a practicing speech-language pathologist for five years before my daughter was born.
