Billy Gets Talking: A Preschooler's Journey Overcoming Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Billy was a smart boy, but he felt frustrated since it was difficult to move his lips, jaw, and tongue, to clearly say the words in his head. This is a story about how Billy found his words with the help of his speech-language pathologist and his family. With hard work and each small step, Billy became happier and gained confidence when talking to his family and friends.

Written for ages 2-4, Billy's story is a relatable journey for the youngest children with a diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech. Childhood apraxia of speech is a type of speech sound disorder characterized by specific difficulty programming the correct oral motor movements for the production of speech sounds.

Speech-language pathologists may use this book as a companion to treatment to illustrate the family's contribution outside of treatment. Examples are provided of how caregivers can incorporate practice into their daily routines and celebrate every successful sound and word.