With most schools going back to in-person education, some for the first time in over a year, many of our kids and parents are feeling anxious about the transition back to the classroom, while other families continue to deal with virtual school and therapy. Apraxia Kids recognizes the need for resources focused on stress, anxiety, and mental health. We are pleased to share those with you as your kids begin a new school year. We have organized helpful resources in a blog post entitled “Mental Health Resources for our Apraxia Community.” In addition, we have a variety of resources on our website to share with your child’s teachers and classmates, focusing on being a great friend. Please reach out to us if you would like a Classroom Kit or SLP Kit to share resources with teachers, students, or other families.

We know that our Apraxia Stars may have difficulty making friends. This can cause sadness, anxiety, or loneliness and may lead to bullying. There are many competencies needed to form friendships that are based on having good communication skills. We invite you to learn how social skills develop across the ages, and gain tips to help your Apraxia Star develop friendships in this free webinar by Angela Muis from our National Conference entitled “Fostering Friendships: Supporting Your Child With CAS on Their Social Journey.”

Friendship Month is also an opportunity to reach out to new people, make friends, and reconnect with those you may have lost touch with in the past year and a half of the pandemic. As we work to spread awareness, more and more families are receiving a diagnosis for the first time. You can play a critical role in connecting them to Apraxia Kids and our resources by inviting them to join you at your local Walk for Apraxia. The Walk connects our families within the community providing support to one another. Reach out to all of your friends and invite them to register for free and join your team.

As your friend, we will continue to develop new programs, education, and resources for our families and professional community. Thank you for spreading awareness by sharing our website with a new friend, joining your local Walk, sharing a webinar with your SLP or child’s teacher, and investing in our organization.

Together, we can make a difference in the life of a child with apraxia of speech.

Angela Grimm
Executive Director