Wyckoff Father Of Kid With Apraxia Of Speech Helps Children Find Voice

WYCKOFF, NJ — A Wyckoff father of a son with a motor speech disorder is passionate about helping his own child and other children find their voice.

Brennan Woods, a dad to a 6-year-old with childhood apraxia of speech, has joined the board of a national nonprofit strengthening support for children with the disorder and for their families.

"It was encouraging to see the progress (my son) has made over the past few years, and, to the extent that I can help others realize that progress, I want to do that," Woods said in an interview.

He said that he identified with the mission of Apraxia Kids, and that he had reached out to the charity after his son had been diagnosed at age 2, asking how he could help the organization fulfill that mission.

Appointed to the board in March, Woods said his goal will be to help raise awareness of the uncommon speech disorder (affecting 1 in every 1,000 children in the U.S.), and, ultimately, to help raise funds for resources to aid more families.

"I don't have much nonprofit experience, nor am I a speech-language pathologist," he said. "But I am a doer and a father who wants to help."

During the day, the father of three is a vice president at Goldman Sachs, and although his regular work, he said, is "wildly different," he is a "roll up your sleeves" kind of guy.

"Fundamentally, I just want to help in whatever way I can."

Before becoming a board member, Woods participated in "Walks for Apraxia" organized through the nonprofit, and this year, he is leading one of these "walks" in Northern New Jersey at an upcoming date not yet determined. He has raised more than $5,800 for the fundraising initiative so far.

He started walking, he said, to support an organization that for months had provided him with resources to help him and his family learn about apraxia, and had offered support groups to help him feel not so alone in the journey.

"It is helpful to have information for myself or my family, or to use in advising teachers or others working with (my son)," he said. "There is also a comfort in knowing that this is something other parents experience."

Woods had found Apraxia Kids in 2018 — the year his son was diagnosed — as he was searching online for resources on CAS. He said that year was especially tough for his then-2-year-old son, who already was undergoing a lot of social-emotional development — and that coupled with the diagnosis was "frustrating and, frankly, heartbreaking," for him as a father.

"(My son) is an incredibly social kid, and seeing him have trouble expressing himself socially in connecting with peers or family members is disheartening," he said. "As a parent, you want your kids to be happy and to have the best possible childhood experience, and that was hard on us as a family."

At 6 years old, Woods' son is in speech therapy yet still has "a long way to go," the father said. Although there is a "learning curve" in figuring out how to work with a nonprofit, he added he wants to help the organization grow and develop to assist more children and families.

"Will you help me make a difference in the lives of children with apraxia?" Woods said on the fundraising page for his 2023 Walk for Apraxia.