National Conference

The Apraxia Kids National Conference is the only major conference on the speech, language, learning, and life needs of children with apraxia. The National Conference brings together parents, professionals, educators, and others who are seeking the most up-to-date and in-depth learning opportunities available.

Since 2004, over 4,100 attendees have joined us across the country! For many, the National Conference changed the trajectory of their experiences as a parent or professional. Parents go from feeling isolated and unsure, to developing a network of support and foundation of knowledge. Professionals learn the most evidence-based methods and approaches for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.

Call for Papers

Apraxia Kids is seeking submissions for presentations for our 2020 Conference that address a full range of issues. Presentations should ideally include “how-to” and “hands-on” strategies with evidence-based support. Apraxia Kids encourages collaboration between speakers in the development of presentations (i.e. co-presenters or small panels). For this conference, we will be offering options for different session lengths, so please carefully consider what might work best for your proposal.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Differential Diagnosis and Evidence-Based Treatments
  • Recent Research on CAS and Related Issues
  • Interpersonal/Social/Emotional Issues
  • Education, Literacy, and IEPs
  • Co-Occurring Issues and Early Intervention

Applications are due December 20, 2019.

Apply to be a speaker!

Research Symposium  |  July 7-9

Apraxia Kids is dedicated to advancing innovation through research and education. We are thrilled to be hosting the third Research Symposium in 2020 in conjunction with the Apraxia Kids National Conference.  This special event is geared towards researchers and will involve a limited audience. The Research Symposium will occur for two days prior to the start of the National Conference.

Comprised of 16 hours of research presentations, discussions, and brainstorming for the future, this event is certain to be invaluable to our apraxia community.

This event is co-chaired by Dr. Jonathan Preston and Dr. Tricia McCabe.

Apply to speak at Research Symposium!

Scholarships

Thanks to the funds raised through the Walk for Apraxia and the generosity of our donors, Apraxia Kids offers scholarships for parents to attend the National Conference. Since 2004, over 300 participants have attended on scholarship.

The National Conference is a unique educational opportunity on childhood apraxia of speech, and an unforgettable experience for all families who attend. As one 2019 scholarship recipient said, “I want to take the time to thank you for choosing me as a recipient of a scholarship for this amazing conference. I walked away from it feeling more confident as a parent and more knowledgeable about my son’s future. I owe that all to your organization.”

Applications are due December 31, 2019. Recipients will be notified by January 15, 2020.

Scholarship applications will be available on November 9, 2020.

FAQ

Whether this is your first National Conference or your tenth, check out our FAQ for information on the venue, pricing, handouts, refund policies, continuing education units, and more!

Updated conference FAQ will be available in November. 

SCHOOL-BASED TRAINING

Three pre-conference sessions exclusively for speech-language pathologists are available for an additional fee.

What can school-based SLPs expect from this experience?

  • Enhance your skills for differential diagnosis
  • Meet the challenge of mixed childhood apraxia of speech and other co-occurring conditions
  • Manage caseloads for providing optimal services to children with CAS
  • Balance group vs. individual therapy demands
  • Learn therapy strategies applicable to students with apraxia and/or other speech-sound disorders
  • Enhance your home carryover techniques
  • Share challenges, strategies, and successes with other school-based SLPs
Download the School-Based Training flyer

SPONSOR OR EXHIBIT

More information coming soon!

SAMPLE SCHEDULES

Make the most out of your conference experience by ensuring that you sign up for sessions that match your level of learning!

Year after year, we see that participants who access sample schedules to help guide their decision making when choosing sessions have an easier time registering and have the most overall satisfaction with what they learn.

Download Sample Schedules From Last Year's Conference

Future Conferences

More information about future conferences coming soon!

COMMUNITY TESTIMONIALS

What have past participants said about their experience attending a National Conference?

“This was my first conference. For me, I loved meeting people going through the same journey as me. Connecting with other parents was great!”

“Thank you so much for selecting our daughter Atayah for the iPad! She loves people and life in general and we have no doubt this iPad will help her with learning the world around her as she is better able to communicate with peers, family members, and the community.”

“I just can’t express how much this conference meant to me. I felt empowered and encouraged by all of the speakers I had the privilege to listen to. After this conference, I finally feel knowledgeable about how to advocate for him, which is one thing I needed desperately.”

“I loved having researchers come and talk about what treatments are working, what they are discovering. The quality of the session content was great.”

“I liked the hands-on experience and thorough case studies with interactive assessment and clinical decision making components.”

“I learned so much for my son and have already gone back to advocate with the research and classes I took. The classes were great but most of all the people I have made friendships with are priceless! I went to the conference alone and nervous but came out with so much more than I could ever ask!”

“I appreciated that this conference was a great mix of getting the latest from big names in research…along with parents and young adults telling their stories.”

“I loved the ability to really meet and talk with professionals and families during breakfast, lunch, and other breaks. Additionally, the information presented was outstanding.”