[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5983]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                     RECOGNIZING APRAXIA AWARENESS

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                         HON. KEITH J. ROTHFUS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 13, 2016

  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to Childhood 
Apraxia of Speech, a speech and communication disorder that causes 
extreme difficulty in learning to speak, which can affect literacy and 
school performance. Often times, children with Childhood Apraxia of 
Speech require frequent and aggressive speech therapy to improve their 
ability to communicate. Sadly, the cause of the disorder is unknown. 
More progress must be made to understand and develop better treatment 
for this complex condition.
  Fortunately, the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association located in 
Pittsburgh, PA continues to work tirelessly to raise awareness about 
Childhood Apraxia of Speech and to provide support to families of 
affected children. Thanks to their hard work, great strides have been 
made toward educating the public, and local, state, and federal 
officials. Increased awareness of this disorder will serve as an 
impetus toward more effective treatment, as well as to create a more 
supportive environment for families struggling with this rare 
condition.
  Children with apraxia and their families confront tremendous 
obstacles with determination and persistence. To all the families and 
children living with apraxia, I offer my heartfelt encouragement as you 
deal with the unique challenges you face. I ask my colleagues to join 
me in recognizing these individuals on Apraxia Awareness Day this May 
and in thanking the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association for 
increasing awareness in our communities about this challenging 
disorder.




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