A Natural Approach To Health
Living With Apraxia
I had a question the other day about apraxia.
Apraxia is a poorly understood neurological condition.
People who have it find it difficult or impossible to make certain motor movements, even though their muscles are normal.
Milder forms of apraxia are known as dyspraxia.
Apraxia can happen in different forms.
One form is orofacial apraxia.
People with orofacial apraxia can’t voluntarily make certain movements involving facial muscles.
For example, they may not be able to lick their lips or wink.
Another form of apraxia affects a person’s ability to intentionally move their arms and legs.
With apraxia of speech you find it difficult or impossible to move your mouth and tongue to speak.
This happens even though you want to speak and your mouth and tongue muscles are physically able to form words.
There are two forms of apraxia of speech — acquired apraxia and developmental apraxia.
Acquired apraxia can happen in people of all ages.
Typically, though, it’s found in adults.
This condition causes you to lose the speech-making abilities you had.
Developmental apraxia of speech is also known as childhood apraxia.
This condition is present from birth, and it affects a child’s ability to form sounds and words.
Children with speech apraxia often have a better ability to understand speech than to use spoken words.
The majority of children with developmental apraxia will experience significant improvement, if not complete recovery, with correct treatment.
There are a variety of speech-related symptoms that can be associated with apraxia, including:
>Difficulty stringing syllables together in the appropriate order to make words, or inability to do so
>Minimal babbling during infancy
>Difficulty saying long or complex words
>Repeated attempts at pronunciation of words
>Speech inconsistencies, like being able to say a sound or word properly at certain times but not others
>Incorrect inflections or stresses on certain sounds or words
>Excessive use of nonverbal forms of communication
>Distorting of vowel sounds
>Omitting consonants at the beginnings and ends of words
>Seeming to grope or struggle to make words
Childhood apraxia of speech rarely occurs alone.
It’s often accompanied by other language or cognitive deficits, which may cause:
>Limited vocabulary
>Grammatical problems
>Problems with coordination and fine motor skills
>Difficulties chewing and swallowing
>Clumsiness
Acquired apraxia results from brain damage to the areas of the brain that control the ability to speak.
Conditions that may produce acquired apraxia include head trauma, stroke, or a brain tumor.
Experts don’t yet understand what causes childhood apraxia of speech.
Some scientists believe it results from signaling problems between the brain and the muscles used for speaking.
Ongoing research is focusing on whether brain abnormalities that cause apraxia of speech can be identified.
Other research is looking for genetic causes of apraxia.
Some studies are trying to determine exactly which parts of the brain are linked to the condition.
In some cases of acquired apraxia, the condition resolves spontaneously.
This isn’t the case with developmental apraxia of speech, which doesn’t go away without treatment.
To deal with apraxia it’s beneficial to:
*Drink 6-8 cups of purified water daily to hydrate and flush toxins.
*Review my post on keeping clean on the inside.
*Breathe easier; purify indoor air.
*Increase essential fats (flax oil, olive oil, Omega-3 oils).
*Consume a 50% raw food diet: lots of fresh, raw fruits and veggies (organic when possible). Include fresh juicing.
*Consider liver and colon cleanses.
*Increase exercise, deep breathing, relaxation, stress release.
*Increase fresh air, sunshine, connect to nature, adequate rest.
*Deal with any underlying emotional issues.
*Consider skin brushing, Epsom salt baths, hydrotherapy.
*Ensure regular (2 per day) bowel movements.
*Decrease toxic exposures of all kinds.
*Investigate and eliminate “hidden” allergies/sensitivities.
*Decrease or eliminate any and all hydrogenated, trans fats, and deep-fried foods.
*Decrease or eliminate sugar-laden foods, white flour products, simple carbs.
*Decrease or eliminate processed, instant, chemical-laden, “lifeless” foods.
*Decrease or eliminate smoking, alcohol, coffee, soda pop, processed juices.
*Become educated about all possible side effects and detrimental influences of any medications or treatment procedures you are taking or considering.
*Research and address underlying Candida issues.
*Avoid MSG and artificial sweeteners as they are neurotoxins.
*Explore dental amalgam toxicity.
*May require extra magnesium (to bowel tolerance).
*Avoid aluminum (pans, foil, deodorant, etc.)
*Consider hair analysis for heavy metals toxicity.
Recommendations:
It is essential to use: VitaLea,Protein, B-Complex, Lecithin, VitalMag, Alfalfa, Optiflora, Vitamin D.
It is important to use: CoQHeart, OmegaGuard/GLA, Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Stress Relief Complex, NutriFeron, Vivix.
It is beneficial to use: CarotoMax and/or FlavoMax, EZ-Gest, DTX, Herb-Lax, Performance, Gentle Sleep Complex.
email: lenay@dickandlenay.com
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