Speech Sound Disorders

Series 1 Episode 2: Understanding Articulation and Phonological Disorders

Speech is a vital part of how we connect, express ourselves, and navigate the world.

For some children, producing clear speech sounds can be a challenge.

This is where speech sound disorders come into play. If you’ve noticed your child struggling with certain sounds or being misunderstood by others, this post is for you.

Speech sound disorders occur when a child has difficulty producing speech sounds correctly. These challenges can range from mild mispronunciations to more significant difficulties that affect intelligibility. Speech sound disorders fall into two main categories:

Articulation Disorders: Problems with physically forming specific sounds (e.g., saying “wabbit” instead of “rabbit”).

Phonological Disorders: Difficulty understanding the rules of how sounds fit together in a language (e.g., consistently replacing back sounds like /k/ with front sounds like /t/, as in saying “tat” instead of “cat”).

Signs of a Speech Sound Disorder

• Sound Substitutions: Replacing one sound with another, like “tat” for “cat.”

• Omissions: Leaving out sounds, such as saying “pane” instead of “plane.”

• Distortions: Producing a sound incorrectly, like a slushy /s/.

• Consistency Issues: Using the same error pattern across multiple words.

How Are Speech Sound Disorders Treated?

Speech therapy is the gold standard for treating speech sound disorders. Here’s how it works:

1. Assessment: A speech-language pathologist (SLP) evaluates your child’s speech to determine the nature and severity of the issue.

2. Individualized Plan: Therapy sessions are tailored to your child’s needs, focusing on specific sounds or patterns they struggle with.

3. Step-by-Step Progression Therapy typically moves from practicing sounds in isolation to using them in words, phrases, sentences, and conversations.

4. Home Practice Parents are encouraged to practice sounds at home using fun activities to reinforce progress made in therapy.

Tips for Supporting Your Child at Home

Make It Fun: Use games like “I Spy” to practice target sounds.
Repeat and Model: Clearly repeat words with the correct sounds for your child to imitate.
Praise Progress: Celebrate even small improvements to keep your child motivated.
Read Aloud Together: Books with repetitive phrases and rhymes are great for practicing speech.

Speech sound disorders can feel overwhelming, but with the right support and a clear plan, progress is not only possible but inevitable. Whether through professional speech therapy or supportive practice at home, your child can develop clear, confident speech that helps them thrive.

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s speech development, don’t hesitate to reach out to a speech-language pathologist. At Speech Glam Talks, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Ready to get started? Download our free guide, ‘Clear Speech Tips for Home Practice,’ and help your child on their speech journey today!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dlami93zKfMzk5KeC4l-X81Pa3jKpr86/view?usp=drive_link

Articulation Disorder

Phonological Disorder

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