If a child is difficult to understand or has trouble saying sounds clearly, they may have a speech sound disorder. Most children should be able to say nearly all the speech sounds properly by 4 years old. Some sounds may take longer to learn such as, th, v, or z.
Speech sound disorder is also called phonological disorder or articulation disorder.
The American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) list the signs and symptoms of speech sound disorders
Your child may substitute one sound for another, leave sounds out, add sounds, or change a sound. It can be hard for others to understand them.
It is normal for young children to say the wrong sounds sometimes. For example, your child may make a “w” sound for an “r” and say “wabbit” for “rabbit.” They may leave sounds out of words, such as “nana” for “banana.” This is okay when they are young. It may be a problem if they keep making these mistakes as they get older.
You and your child may also sound different because you have an accent or dialect. This is not a speech sound disorder
The Causes of a Speech Sound Disorder
There are many causes of a speech sound disorder. It could have to do with the muscles needed to make sounds of speech or the signal coming from the brain to the speech muscles.
Your child may have speech problems if he has
a developmental disorder, like autism;
a genetic syndrome, like Down syndrome;
hearing loss, from ear infections or other causes; or
brain damage, like cerebral palsy or a head injury.
Treatment for Speech Sound Disorders
A speech therapist can help you or your child say sounds correctly and clearly. Treatment may include the following:
Learning the correct way to make sounds
Learning to tell when sounds are right or wrong
Practicing sounds in different words
Practicing sounds in longer sentence
Speech Therapy
If you suspect your child may have a speech or language disorder, take the first step. First Words Speech Therapy is conveniently located at 1239 Mount Vernon St. Orlando, Fl. 32803. Contact us for a free phone consultation at 407-810-2773.
Our therapists have extensive clinical experience and training. Our effective holistic approach takes place in your child’s natural environment, providing the highest quality of care.
