Diagnosing Childhood Apraxia of Speech Before Age 3 with Hannah Valentine

Can childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) be diagnosed before age three? According to doctoral candidate Hannah Valentine's groundbreaking research, the answer is yes, but 40% of speech-language pathologists don't believe it can be.In this episode of the Apraxia Foundation podcast, hosts Laura and Jordan sit down with Hannah Valentine, a doctoral candidate at New York University and former early intervention SLP, to discuss her research paper "Clinician's Perspectives on Diagnosing and Treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech in Children Under Three Years Old."Hannah shares the personal story that sparked her research journey: an 18-month-old patient with classic CAS presentation who nearly fell through the cracks due to widespread misinformation about early diagnosis. Her study reveals that not only do 40% of clinicians believe CAS cannot be diagnosed before age three, but 52% would not share a CAS diagnosis with families of children under three, even when they suspect it.In this episode, you'll learn:Why the "can't diagnose before three" myth persists in the fieldHow survey design reveals authentic clinical beliefs and practicesThe role of ASHA guidelines in perpetuating misinformationWhy early diagnosis matters for intervention and family supportThe disconnect between clinical suspicion and family communicationWhether you're an SLP, parent, or advocate, this conversation challenges long-held assumptions and provides evidence-based insights into early CAS identification.Find Hannah's work on her website https://www.hannah-valentine.com/Email: Hannah.Valentine@nyu.eduReferencesValentine HC, Keller S, Harel D, Grigos MI. Clinicians' Perspectives on Diagnosing and Treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech in Children Under 3 Years Old. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jan 13;35(1):266-283. doi: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00215. Epub 2025 Dec 12. PMID: 41386789; PMCID: PMC12805812.