Articulation Disorder

Articulation disorder is a common condition when your child can’t make specific sounds. For example, they may always replace “r” with “w” or “th” with “s.” The disorder isn’t related to any issues with their brain, mouth or hearing. 

Children with articulation disorder have trouble with the motor functions required to make certain speech sounds. They can’t coordinate their lips, tongue, teeth, palate (roof of their mouth) and lungs to produce certain sounds. They may form distorted speech sounds or swap out sounds they can’t make. Articulation disorder examples include not forming the sound “th” and always using “f” instead.

 Children with articulation disorders may have difficulty producing sounds or sound patterns correctly, leading to speech that is difficult to understand. For example, they may substitute one sound for another (e.g., saying "wabbit" instead of "rabbit") or omit certain sounds in words (e.g., saying "bu" instead of "bus"). 

There are several types of articulation disorders, including:

1. Substitution: When one sound is substituted for another (e.g., saying "tat" instead of "cat").
2. Omission: When a sound is omitted from a word (e.g., saying "do" instead of "dog").
3. Distortion: When a sound is produced in an unfamiliar or incorrect way (e.g., a lisp).
4. Addition: When an extra sound is inserted into a word (e.g., saying "buhlack" instead of "black").

Speech sound disorders are common, affecting 8% to 9% of children. 

Early intervention is crucial for addressing articulation disorders effectively. If you suspect that you or someone you know may have an articulation disorder, it is recommended to consult with a qualified speech-language pathologist for a proper evaluation and guidance.