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Think about how often you speak in an average day. Saying words out loud helps you connect with family, do your job, and catch up with friends.

Now, imagine what your days may look like if you’re unable to express what you want to say.

Acquired apraxia of speech (AOS) is a condition that affects your ability to speak. AOS disrupts the brain signals that help your mouth form the words you want to say. Examples of AOS include mispronouncing words and struggling to make the correct sounds.

AOS can occur suddenly after a brain injury or develop over time. Learn more about acquired apraxia of speech, including its causes, symptoms, and treatments.

What Is Acquired Apraxia of Speech?

The simplest apraxia definition is that it’s a neurological disorder that affects how you move your mouth. Speech apraxia changes how you produce sounds with the muscles of your lips, mouth, and tongue. These changes occur even when you know exactly what you want to say.

Acquired AOS in adults is different from childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Children with CAS are born with the condition. Acquired AOS results from an injury or condition affecting the brain.

With speech therapy, many children with CAS and adults with acquired AOS experience improved speech.

What Causes Apraxia of Speech?

Forming and saying words is a complex task. Electrical (nerve) impulses travel from your brain to your mouth. Your muscles respond to these brain signals by moving in ways that produce sounds and form the words you want to say.

Acquired apraxia of speech may occur if you have damage to your brain from the following.

Brain tumor

Brain tumors are growths of cells or tissue that form in the brain. They sometimes occur in the part of the brain that controls speech and can cause apraxia. Some brain tumors are cancerous (malignant), but others aren’t cancerous (benign).

Neurodegenerative disease

Speech apraxia can result from the progression of neurodegenerative disease. Neurodegenerative disease may cause changes to how you move, think, and speak over time. These conditions include:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cognitive impairment
• Dementia
• Frontotemporal dementia
• Parkinson’s disease

Stroke

A stroke happens when a blood clot blocks an artery in your brain or when a blood vessel inside the brain ruptures. A stroke can damage your brain and affect your ability to speak.

Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a sudden event that causes brain damage. You may experience TBI or concussion if you have a blow to your head, a car accident, or a fall. Severe brain injury can result in lasting damage that causes apraxia.

What Are AOS Symptoms?

Acquired apraxia of speech causes changes in how you speak. But symptoms of speech apraxia vary. You may experience:

• Changes in speech rhythms or inflection (prosody).
• Inability to say complex or long words.
• Trouble making certain sounds or saying the right word, even if you know what the correct word is.
• Variation in your ability to say specific words from one day to the next.

Other conditions you may have with acquired apraxia of speech

Sometimes, damage to nerves causes other conditions or symptoms that affect speech and language. It’s possible to have these conditions along with AOS. You may also have:

• Aphasia — A language disorder that affects reading, speech, and writing.
• Dysarthria — A speech disorder resulting from changes in the function of the muscles and nerves used to form sounds and words.

How Do Health Care Professionals Diagnose AOS?

Contact your doctor if you experience symptoms of acquired apraxia of speech. They’ll examine you and ask about your symptoms and medical history. They may refer you to a speech-language pathologist, a specialist who diagnoses and treats speech disorders.

There aren’t specific tests to diagnose acquired apraxia of speech. Instead, a speech-language pathologist evaluates your specific symptoms. They may ask you to:

• Have a conversation.
• Read a list of words or a paragraph of text.
• Repeat words several times to see if how you say them changes.
• Write something.

Your speech-language pathologist examines your lips, mouth, and tongue. They may have you make certain sounds to see how you form those sounds.

What Is the Treatment for Acquired Apraxia of Speech?

In some people with acquired apraxia of speech, symptoms disappear on their own, and they get all or most of their ability to speak back. Experts call this spontaneous recovery.

But you may need speech therapy if you have AOS. There’s no one right treatment plan for a person with AOS. Your speech-language pathologist will design your speech therapy sessions for your specific needs.

Managing AOS symptoms may feel frustrating but try to be patient and give yourself time. Your speech-language pathologist may adjust your therapy sessions — or the number of sessions you need — as your speech changes.

What should I do if I have AOS?

It’s important to prepare for when AOS makes communication difficult. Keep a list of emergency contacts with you so others know who to call in an emergency. Talk to your doctor about whether you should carry a medical identification card.

Someone I care about has acquired AOS. How can I help them?

Not being able to communicate the way you used to with someone you care about can be challenging. Remember, your loved one is doing their best. You can help by:

• Communicating face to face.
• Giving them extra time to listen and respond.
• Providing a pen and paper or an electronic device if it helps them communicate.
• Speaking slowly.
• Taking a break if communication becomes frustrating.

What Is the Prognosis for People with Acquired Apraxia of Speech?

The prognosis for recovery from acquired apraxia of speech can vary. While AOS itself does not have a significantly impact on life expectancy, the causes of AOS – brain tumor, neurogenerative disease, stroke, etc. – can affect one’s life expectancy.

Although AOS isn’t likely to affect how long you live, the condition can affect your quality of life and your social connections.

Talk to your doctor or speech-language pathologist about your goals for apraxia treatment. They can provide resources to help you connect with others who are also managing AOS and offer support.

Find speech therapy services at a UPMC Rehabilitation Institute location near you.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on April 3, 2025, and was last reviewed on April 10, 2025.