How Vision Therapy Can Help Children with Apraxia

Dr. Kalie McCartin
Aug 7
4 min read

If your child has been diagnosed with apraxia, you may already be familiar with the challenges of speech delays, motor coordination issues, and difficulty planning movements. But what many parents don’t realize is that visual processing deficiencies and binocular vision dysfunction can significantly contribute to these struggles—and may even be an underlying cause of some apraxia symptoms.

At the Visual Processing Institute, we’ve helped many children throughout Orange County, from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano and Los Angeles County, make meaningful progress through personalized vision therapy. Here's what you need to know about the connection between vision and apraxia, and how targeted therapy can support your child’s development.

Understanding Apraxia: More Than a Speech Disorder

Apraxia is a neurological condition that affects a child’s ability to plan and carry out motor movements, despite having the physical ability and desire to do so. Most often discussed in the context of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), apraxia can also impact broader motor planning—including fine motor skills and gross motor skills like walking, balance, and coordination.

While the brain knows what it wants the body to do, the message doesn’t always reach the muscles correctly or in the right sequence. This breakdown in communication affects everything from forming words to riding a bike or holding a pencil.

The Vision Connection: How Visual Processing Impacts

Apraxia

One often overlooked contributor to apraxia symptoms is visual processing dysfunction—particularly involving the ocular motor system and binocular vision. Vision is more than just 20/20 eyesight; it's about how the brain interprets and responds to visual information.

Children with apraxia frequently exhibit:

Poor ocular motor skills (eye tracking, saccades, and pursuits)
Difficulty with visual-motor integration
Struggles with hand-eye coordination
Challenges in navigating space or copying from the board

These issues can impair a child's ability to plan motor actions effectively, contributing to delays in gross motor planning, coordination, and speech. When visual input is unreliable, the brain’s ability to organize and execute movement becomes even more complicated.

Signs Your Child May Have a Visual Component to Their Apraxia

If your child has apraxia, pay attention to these visual red flags that may signal binocular vision dysfunction or poor visual-motor integration:

Frequent tripping or bumping into objects
Trouble learning to read or poor attention during reading
Holding the head at an angle while working or watching screens
Fatigue with visual tasks
Avoidance of drawing, coloring, or other fine motor skill activities
Difficulty catching a ball or playing sports
Poor posture or balance

Parents in Laguna Niguel, Rolling Hills, and Ladera Ranch often come to us saying, “Something just isn’t clicking for my child”—and more often than not, that “something” is rooted in visual processing.

How Vision Therapy Helps Children with Apraxia

Vision therapy is a non-invasive, customized treatment plan designed to retrain the brain and eyes to work together more efficiently. At the Visual Processing Institute, our programs help strengthen:

Ocular motor skills (tracking, focusing, eye teaming)
Visual-motor coordination
Depth perception and spatial awareness
Gross motor planning and balance through integrated visual-movement exercises

As children with apraxia learn to better interpret visual information, they often show dramatic improvements in gross motor skills, speech fluency, and overall confidence.

One of our favorite success stories comes from a family in Palos Verdes whose son had severe motor planning delays and speech difficulties. After just a few months of vision therapy, he began navigating his classroom with ease and speaking in full sentences—something they were told might never happen.

Success Beyond the Clinic: Real-Life Improvements

Vision therapy doesn’t just help kids perform better in therapy sessions—it improves how they live, learn, and grow every day.

Our families across Newport Coast, Bel Air, and Coto de Caza report:

Increased independence in daily routines
Better handwriting and school performance
Reduced frustration and behavior challenges
More engagement in sports and physical activities
Breakthroughs in expressive language

Even if your child has received occupational therapy, speech therapy, or physical therapy, vision therapy can be the missing piece that ties all the progress together.

Why Choose Visual Processing Institute?

We specialize in treating children with complex developmental needs—and our clinicians are experienced in working with apraxia, binocular vision dysfunction, and related visual-motor delays. Our clinic uses advanced diagnostic tools to identify the root of your child’s visual challenges and create a tailored therapy plan that fits their specific needs.

Families from West Los Angeles to Orange County trust us not just for our expertise, but for our compassion, patience, and deep commitment to each child's success.

Schedule a Developmental Vision Exam Online Today

If your child is struggling with apraxia, don’t overlook the powerful role vision can play. A developmental vision exam can uncover hidden challenges—and set your child on a path toward greater independence, communication, and confidence.

We proudly serve families throughout Southern California, including Newport Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Niguel, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Newport Coast, Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch, Culver City, and Bel Air.