What is Speech? When should I be concerned?

Speech is how we say sounds and words

Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation, Phonological Processes, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

Learning to talk is a complex process and it is common for children to make sound errors as they are learning to form new words. These errors should disappear at certain ages, depending on the sound. If these errors persist past what is considered developmentally appropriate, your child may have an articulation (sound errors) or phonological process (sound pattern errors) disorder. Speech disorders can impact your child’s self-esteem, behavior, and social interactions. These disorders may also impact your child’s school performance, specifically in the areas of reading and writing.

What are some signs of an articulation disorder?

An articulation disorder involves difficulty making certain sounds. Below are the ages that children should be able to say each sound with 90-100% accuracy.

By age 3: p, b, m, d, n, t, h, k, g, w, f, y, ng

By age 4: l, j, ch, s, v, sh, z

By age 5: r, voiced “th” (e.g., that)

By age 6: voiceless “th” (e.g., thank you)

If your child makes speech sound errors or you notice people have difficulty understanding your child, please don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation or speech and language evaluation. Many children with speech sound disorders also have language disorders. Click here to learn more about language disorders.

What are some signs of a phonological process disorder?

A phonological process disorder involves consistent patterns of sound errors. For example, a child may substitute “back” sounds like /g/ and /k/ for “front” sounds /d/ and /t/ (e.g., saying “tup” for “cup” or “dreen” for “green”). This phonological process is called “fronting.” Phonological processes are part of typical speech development and should disappear by certain ages depending on the process.

For more information on phonological process disorders or if you think your child may have a phonological process disorder contact us to schedule a consultation or a speech and language evaluation. Many children with speech sound disorders also have language disorders. Click here to learn more about language disorders.

What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)?

Childhood apraxia of speech, or CAS, is a motor speech disorder. This means, that the brain doesn’t always send the right message to the muscles used for speech. Children with CAS have problems saying sounds and words. They know what they want to say, but can’t always say it. CAS is not a result of weak muscles. Children with CAS:

• Are hard to understand

• Make inconsistent errors. Meaning, the same word may sound different each time

• Find it easy to say some words or sentences that are said frequently and have become automatic (e.g., hi, bye, mom, dad, I love you)

• Make errors on consonants and vowels

• Make more errors as words/sentences increase in length

• Have difficulty imitating speech, but imitated speech is clearer than spontaneous speech

• Have choppy speech

• Stress the wrong parts of a word

• Show frustration when speaking/trying to speak

• Can understand language much better than he or she can talk

• Appear to be groping when attempting to produce sounds or to coordinate the lips, tongue, and jaw for purposeful movement

Not all children with CAS are the same. All of the signs and symptoms listed above may not be present in every child. It is important to have your child evaluated by a SLP who has knowledge of CAS to rule out other causes of speech problems. If you think your child may have CAS, do not hesitate to contact us today to schedule a consultation or a speech and language evaluation.

*Content adapted from The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association*