Speech Sound Disorders (Articulation Disorders) in Children

What Are Speech Sound Disorders (Articulation Disorders)?

Children may say some sounds the wrong way as they learn to talk. They learn some sounds earlier, like p, m, or w. Other sounds take longer to learn, like z, v, or th. Most children can say almost all speech sounds correctly by 4 years old. A child who does not say sounds by the expected ages may have a speech sound disorder. You may hear the terms “articulation disorder” and “phonological disorder” to describe speech sound disorders like this.

How Can Speech Therapy Help Your Child?

Our team at Persian Speech Clinic can assess your child’s speech. The Speech Therapist will listen to your child to hear how they say sounds. The Speech Therapist also will look at how your child moves their lips, jaw, and tongue. Our team may also test your child’s language skills. Many children with speech sound disorders also have language disorders. For example, your child may have trouble following directions or telling stories.

It is important to have your child’s hearing checked to make sure they do not have hearing loss. A child with hearing loss may have more trouble learning to talk.
Our team can help 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 sentences