Neuropsychological profile of children with childhood apraxia of speech
- Research Opportunity
- PhD students
- Department / Centre
- Paediatrics
- Location
- Royal Children’s Hospital/Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
Primary Supervisor | Number | Webpage | |
---|---|---|---|
Prof Angela Morgan | angela.morgan@mcri.edu.au | Personal web page |
Co-supervisor | Number | Webpage | |
---|---|---|---|
Prof David Amor | david.amor@mcri.edu.au | Personal web page |
Summary Our team has an exciting PhD opportunity for a project examining cognitive contributions in childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) associated with our speech genetics clinic at the Royal Children's Hospital.
Project Details
Childhood speech disorders are common, affecting 1 in 20 preschool children in the general population. Yet these children present with mild articulation or phonological disorders that typically resolve with or without intervention. By contrast, approximately 1 in 1,000 patients present with a persistent and less tractable speech disorder known as childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Three core symptoms support a CAS diagnosis: including inconsistent errors on consonants and vowels; lengthened and disrupted coarticulatory transitions between sounds and syllables; and inappropriate prosody (ASHA 2007). Lifelong impairment is seen, with psychosocial impact, literacy deficits, and restricted educational and employment outcomes. Why is CAS so much more persistent than other speech conditions? Increasing evidence has shown a genetic basis for up to 1 in 3 children with CAS. Novel molecular pathways have also been revealed, indicating a role for transcriptional dysregulation. This mechanism is associated with altered brain development which results in the CAS symptomatology, along with other commonly shared deficits such as impaired motor skill development. To date, few studies have examined neuropsychological strengths and challenges in children with CAS. A greater understanding of cognitive contributions to the condition, combined with new genomic data, will lead to more targeted therapeutic interventions and help to explain the mechanisms which lead to this symptom profile. Our team has an exciting PhD opportunity for a project examining cognitive contributions in CAS associated with our speech genetics clinic at the Royal Children's Hospital.
Faculty Research Themes
School Research Themes
Research Opportunities
PhD students
Students who are interested in joining this project will need to consider their elegibility as well as other requirements before contacting the supervisor of this research
Key Contact
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Department / Centre
Research Node
Royal Children’s Hospital/Murdoch Childrens Research InstituteMDHS Research library
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