How do you know if your child is struggling with an articulation disorder? There are key signs to look out for and fantastic therapy programs to support your child’s development. Read on to learn how speech therapy can make a world of difference for your child.
What Is an Articulation Disorder?
Let’s dive into articulation disorders. How do you know if your child is struggling with one? It’s important to understand that as we age, our speech naturally becomes clearer and more refined. A two-year-old’s speech is—of course—very different from a six-year-old. We need to adjust our expectations accordingly.
What’s interesting is that the trajectory of a child’s speech development is very predictable up to a certain age. We can anticipate their language development month-to-month by observing certain patterns. However, if a child lags behind in reaching certain speech milestones or if they are substituting or omitting sounds unexpectedly, this raises concerns about a possible articulation disorder.
Sometimes these disorders are also called “phonology disorders.” Now, why is this discussion relevant? What’s the significance of understanding articulation disorders? We need to acknowledge their profound impact on a child’s ability to communicate effectively across various areas: social interactions, academic pursuits, and even emergencies. Left unaddressed, articulation disorders can cause frustration, social alienation, bullying, and hinder academic performance, particularly in reading and writing.
How Do Articulation Disorders Manifest?
An articulation disorder, also known as a “speech-sound disorder” or “phonology disorder,” can manifest in various ways. For instance, a child might substitute a “W” for an “R” or an “L” sound, protrude their tongue when making an “S” sound, or say “titty-tat” instead of “kitty-cat.” They might also omit sounds altogether from their words. While some of these occurrences are typical in early development, it’s crucial to uncover whether they align with age-appropriate norms or signal potential red flags for an articulation disorder.
Structural differences and various disorders can contribute to the onset of an articulation disorder, including:
- Tongue or lip ties
- Misaligned jaws
- Palate issues from thumb sucking
- Auditory processing disorders
- Developmental delays
- Hearing impairments
- Neurological conditions
- and many environmental factors.
The therapists at Dynamic Therapy Specialists focus on enhancing the child’s awareness of their tongue and lip placement for specific sounds, adjusting pressure and airflow direction, and improving breath support for clearer speech. We help children practice sounds in a systematic way, guided by evidence-based methods—this is fundamental to our approach at Dynamic Therapy Specialists. Our therapists understand the significance of finding the “just right” level of challenge for each child. This ensures they receive adequate support for success while facing challenges that foster learning and growth.
When Should a Parent Intervene with Their Child’s Articulation?
We do not recommend parents “wait and see” if their child outgrows their articulation disorder. If your child receives that diagnosis, we urge parents to go ahead and initiate therapy. By waiting, you run the risk of your child picking up bad speech patterns and habits. Additionally, there is a strong link between a child’s speech sounds and early literacy, early reading, and writing skills. This further emphasizes the need for intervention for articulation disorders in order to ensure a solid foundation for later academic success.
If you are concerned about an articulation disorder with your child or any other concern, I would encourage you to reach out to us and our team of specialists so that we may help you and your individual needs.