Assessment of children with developmental apraxia of speech: a rationale.

A rationale to guide assessment and subsequent management of children with developmental speech disorders is described. Hypotheses about the nature of praxis, the role of oral-verbal praxis in linguistic processing and speech development, and the effects of disturbances in praxis on speech behavior are presented. Implications of a diagnosis of developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) for treatment planning and expected speech, language, and social communication outcomes are discussed. Misconceptions about children diagnosed with DAS and assumptions underlying the author's approach to assessing children with DAS are identified. The desired functional outcome of the assessment approach advocated is a management plan that addresses the needs of the child and family and maximizes the child's ability to communicate.