Oromotor apraxia

What it means

Oral-motor apraxia is the inability to volitionally sequence oral movements of the speech structure for nonspeech tasks in the absence of neuromuscular deficits such as paralysis or muscle weakness. Oral-motor apraxia is diagnosed when, despite intact sensory motor function an individual is unable to use these effector systems under voluntary control.

Affected individuals may experience difficulty in performing movements involving the muscles that also are involved in speech (e.g., clicking the tongue, licking the lips, whistling).

Rare diseases that can present with this10

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Oral-motor apraxia