In this episode, I dive into the first part of our Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) treatment series. I share my top tips for simplifying words so that even our youngest or most severely affected kids can say them. We explore how to use syllable shapes to create functional, achievable target words and I walk you step by step from those earliest stages—when kids can’t yet join consonants and vowels—to forming simple words and then tackling more complex multisyllabic ones.

This is Part One of our CAS treatment discussion, focusing on those foundational word shapes and the cueing hierarchy I use to scaffold a child’s progress. We’ll talk about how to adjust when things are too easy or too hard, and how to keep therapy fun and flexible.

You can also find free downloads on my website to support this episode:

🏠 Syllable House

🧩 Syllable-Level Problem Solving Guide

🎯 Cueing Hierarchy Chart

For more structured detail, check out my CAS Therapy Handbook and Module 1: Selecting Target Words, both available through my website. These resources are designed to help speech pathologists and parents understand how to choose, simplify, and build target words step-by-step.

Stay tuned for Part Two, where we’ll move on to sentence-level practice, multisyllabic words, and later-developing sounds — and explore how to weave everything together into engaging, meaningful therapy.