  We calculate chiral corrections to the octet axial currents through ${\cal
O}(p^3)$ using baryon chiral perturbation theory (BCPT). The relativistic BCPT
framework allows one to sum an infinite series of recoil corrections at a given
order in the chiral expansion. We also include SU(3)-breaking operators
occuring at ${\cal O}(p^2)$ not previously considered. We determine the
corresponding low-energy constants (LEC's) from hyperon semileptonic decay data
using a variety of infrared regularization schemes. We find that the chiral
expansion of the axial currents does not display the proper convergence
behavior, regardless of which scheme is chosen. We explore the implications of
our analysis for determinations of the strange quark contribution to the
nucleon spin, $\Delta s$.
