LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION recognizing May 14, 2014, as National Apraxia
Awareness Day

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official
days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious issues that
affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to recog-
nize May 14, 2014, as National Apraxia Awareness Day; and
WHEREAS, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurological speech
disorder that affects a child's ability to clearly and correctly produce
syllables and words with the most obvious symptom presenting as signif-
icantly limited and/or unclear speech; and
WHEREAS, Currently, all of the causes of CAS are unknown with most
instances of CAS occurring with no cause to be found; however, some
children have CAS as part of a larger neurological diagnosis or as part
of a genetic or mitochondrial disorder; and
WHEREAS, Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a very complicated speech
disorder that is difficult to diagnose with little data available about
how many children have CAS, although the number of children diagnosed
with CAS appears to be increasing; and
WHEREAS, Although there is no cure, with appropriate, intensive inter-
vention including speech therapy focused on providing the child with a
great number of opportunities to practice planning, programming and then
producing accurate movements for speech, significant progress can be
made; and
WHEREAS, Parents or caregivers need to be highly involved in their
child's speech therapy goals, serving as important extenders of speech
goals, enabling the child to gain more practice opportunities than they
could otherwise and can help model appropriate interactions for others
and how to best support the child's communication attempts; and
WHEREAS, The patience and support of caring extended family, friends
and teachers through learning is the best way to support the child's
speech attempts, not pressuring the child to speak, providing time and
loving patience when the child wants to speak; affirming the child's
efforts, worth, and ability is crucial to the success of the child; and
WHEREAS, Children with CAS are often keenly aware of how difficult
speech is for them and need the appropriate support from those around
them to encourage their efforts and progress; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of
Apraxia, and more must be done to increase activity at the State, local
and national levels to support those afflicted as well as their fami-
lies; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize May 14, 2014, as National Apraxia Awareness Day.