Original Content Courtesy of www.presumecompetence.co.uk – Shared with Permission
When a child can’t speak, point, or move as expected, the world too often assumes they don’t know. But what if the problem isn’t cognition? What if it’s coordination?
In one of the most powerful posts I’ve ever read, UK-based Steven May compiled insights from over 40 books written by Spellers to explain how apraxia disrupts the ability to act on one’s thoughts. He offers a brilliant, accessible analogy: the Cog Model—a framework for understanding how sensory, motor, and communication systems become misaligned in non-speaking individuals.
Reproduced with permission from www.presumecompetence.co.uk, this post is a vital resource for new parents, educators, therapists, and anyone seeking to understand the deeper truth behind apraxia and non-speaking communication.
The Cog Model of Apraxia
Apraxia is not simply a breakdown between intention and action — it is a complex disruption across multiple interacting systems. The process of moving, speaking, or responding relies on a network of cogs — and in autism, many of these cogs don’t reliably mesh.
The Two Core Cogs: Intention and Execution
Cog 1: Intention (Desire to Act)
(You MUST presume competence to grasp this.)
- The person knows what they want to say or do.
- The idea is fully formed, often faster than they could express even with perfect motor control.
- This cog turns smoothly. It is not broken. Just hidden behind inconsistent output.
Cog 2: Motor Execution (Action)
Contains two interdependent gears:
- Gross Motor Cog: torso, arms, legs, head movements. Slower but more likely to align.
- Fine Motor Cog: fingers, facial muscles, speech articulators. Delicate and easily disrupted.
When misaligned, individuals may know the answer but can’t point, type, or say it reliably — leading to devastating false assumptions.
The 5 Sensory Cogs That Influence Alignment
Cog 3: Visual Input
- Visual fields may be misaligned (double vision, tilted images).
- Tracking letters, faces, or maintaining eye contact becomes nearly impossible.
- Peripheral vision may be used as a coping strategy.
Cog 4: Auditory Input
- Hypersensitivity to frequencies and background noise.
- Verbal prompts may trigger motor shutdown rather than support.
Cog 5: Tactile Input
- Touch can overwhelm: rough clothes, unexpected contact, or even helpful hand-guiding.
- Can lead to withdrawal, flinching, or shutdown.
Cog 6: Proprioception (Body Awareness)
- Many non-speakers can’t feel where their hands or feet are.
- Overshooting, poor posture, or motor aim issues are common.
Cog 7: Vestibular Input (Balance & Motion)
- Balance affects spelling, sitting, pointing, and staying upright.
- It’s not about compliance. It’s about coordination.
The Neurotypical Illusion
Neurotypicals assume:
Intention → Sensory Input → Coordinated Action
In apraxia:
Intention is present
Sensory inputs overwhelm or distort
Motor output is delayed, misaligned, or absent
The result: inconsistent communication and the tragic illusion of incompetence.
Final Analogy: Pressing a Button
- You see double and aren’t sure which button is real.
- A loud beep goes off.
- Your shirt itches your wrist.
- You can’t feel your hand.
- You shift and lose balance.
- You misfire. You press nothing. Or the wrong button.
You knew what to do. You just couldn’t get all the cogs to catch at once.
Summary:
Apraxia is not just a motor disorder — it’s a full-body, sensory-motor coordination breakdown.
Intent is intact.
The person is there.
The cogs are just misaligned.
Presume Competence. Believe. Love.
Shared with permission from: www.presumecompetence.co.uk
