Speech Sounds
This involves the ability to use clear speech when speaking.
- Articulation errors include difficulty making individual speech sounds due to difficulty with getting the articulators (tongue, lips, teeth etc) into the correct positions.
- Phonology refers to the pattern in which sounds are put together to make words. Phonological errors are when a child can make the sounds correctly in isolation, but they may use them in the wrong position of a word (e.g. a child may use a /t/ sound instead of a /k/ sound, and say “tat” instead of “cat”.
Speech sounds are common in young children as they are developing and learning new sounds. Speech sound errors will start to naturally disappear between the ages of 3-5. When errors persist and do not disappear it is often referred to as a speech delay or phonological delay. This may require speech pathology intervention. Some children may also produce atypical errors.
These errors require speech pathology intervention as they are unlikely to resolve themselves.
Speech Sound Disorders include:
- Articulation Disorder
- Phonological Disorder
- Childhood Apraxia of Speech
- Dysarthria
Please note that speech can be targeted at any age, however early intervention is highly recommended as the child’s brain is still developing and changing.
