The First Scientific Conference for Apraxia

[Guest guest]

The First Scientific Conference on Therapy for Verbal

Apraxia/Dyspraxia

Postconference Statement

The First Scientific Conference on Therapy for Verbal

Apraxia/Dyspraxia,

held on July 23-24, 2001 at the Headquarters Plaza Hotel, town,

New Jersey under the auspices of the CHERAB Foundation

(http://www.apraxia.cc), focused on " Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) and

Verbal Apraxia: A New Potential Therapeutic Intervention. " A panel

of scientific experts discussed the evidence presented at the

conference in the form of professional anecdotal case reports on

improvement of verbal communication ability with EFA supplementation

in this population. The panel unanimously agreed that the existing

scientific evidence justifies planning and implementing a

comprehensive clinical trial to convincingly validate this new

potential therapeutic intervention.

The panel discussed various clinical research alternatives including

the following:

* A controlled case series trial using currently available

standardized speech assessment measures or developing new clinical

assessment profiles for baseline and post-EFA testing

* A randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial of

EFA and placebo supplementation to be undertaken as soon as

possible. For example, if a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical

trial would be undertaken, all diagnosed verbal apraxic children,

including those with hypotonia and sensory integration disorder, who

have not been supplemented with EFAs, would be eligible for

randomization. The panel suggested that allrandomized children

would be supplemented with EFA or placebo in addition

to appropriate speech therapy. This took into consideration the

potential cooperative or possibly synergistic effect of the combined

therapies in the treatment group. The length of the trial is

proposed to be 3 months. Improvement in verbal communication skills,

or the lack thereof using an assessment protocol as described above,

would be the major therapeutic outcome measured, and plasma, as well

as erythrocyte membrane EFA levels would be monitored periodically.

The two groups would consist of about 20-30 age-matched subjects.

ProEFA would be the therapeutic supplement used in the trial based on

preliminary successes attained.

In addition the panel noted the potential availability of

electrophysiological measuring instruments that could serve as

assessment tools of developmental-behavioral characteristics of a

verbal apraxic child, and recommended the exploration of such

techniques. While the panel refrained from discussing the etiology

and pathophysiology of verbal apraxia, it also expressed great

interest in what appears to be a presence of verbal apraxia in a

percentage of children on the autistic spectrum and a possible

association in other disorders and syndromes, such as: hypotonia,

sensory integration disorder, dysarthria, attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder, Kabuki Syndrome and cerebral palsy. The

panel recommended further exploration of these phenomena.

Although no final decision was reached on the nature of the clinical

trial/trials to be undertaken, the workshop ended with a commitment

from all members to continue debating this issue in close

collaboration with the organizers, and to reach a decision within the

shortest timeframe possible.

The organizers thank all panel members for their tireless dedication

and enthusiastic participation in the Workshop's deliberations, and

thank all parents who contributed to the success of the workshop, by

requesting the professionals supervising and treating their children

to complete a professional anecdotal case report questionnaire on the

outcomes of EFA supplementation. This workshop could not have taken

place without their assistance.

The organizers also wish to acknowledge with thanks the assistance of

many dedicated parents in helping with the logistic aspects of the

workshop.

Last but not least, the organizers are thankful to the CHERAB

Foundation's president, Ms.