Pediatric Speech Therapy for Articulation Disorders
Children with articulation disorders have difficulty pronouncing sounds, which makes their speech hard to understand. This can affect their confidence, social interactions, and even success at school.
At Fluens Children’s Therapy, we understand how frustrating this can be for both you and your child. Our expert Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are here to help your child find their voice, speak clearly, and communicate with confidence in every aspect of their life.
What Is Articulation Disorder?
An articulation disorder is when a child has difficulty making certain speech sounds. They might substitute, omit, or distort sounds, which can make it hard for others to understand what they are saying.
For example, a child might say "firsty" instead of "thirsty.” While some sound errors are expected while your child is still learning to speak, children with articulation disorders continue to struggle with them beyond the typical age of acquiring developmentally appropriate speech sounds.
Types of Articulation Challenges
There are four different types of challenges that children can experience with an articulation disorder:
- Adding sounds – they add sounds to words that don’t need to be there (e.g. saying “suh-leep” instead of “sleep”)
- Changing sounds – they distort the sound, which can sound like a lisp or slurring speech
- Leaving out sounds – they don’t say certain sounds (e.g. saying “ca” instead of “cat,” or “nana” instead of “banana”)
- Swapping sounds – they substitute one sound for another (e.g. saying “yight” instead of “light”)
Common Signs of an Articulation Disorder in Children
If you’re wondering whether your child might have an articulation disorder, here are some common signs to watch for:
- Has trouble pronouncing certain sounds, such as “r,” “s,” “l,” or “th”
- Adds, leaves out, or swaps sounds in words
- Distorts or slurs sounds, making speech hard to understand
- Gets frustrated when trying to communicate
- Avoids reading out loud or joining conversations
- Seems excessively quiet or shy
- Others mention that your child is hard to understand
What Causes Articulation Disorder?
Articulation disorders are considered a functional speech sound disorder. This means that they don’t have a known physical or other cause, but the condition may be linked to other developmental delays.
No matter what the cause is, we do know that early intervention is key to helping your child overcome these challenges and develop clear, confident speech.
How Pediatric Speech Therapy Can Treat Articulation Disorder
At Fluens Children’s Therapy, we specialize in helping children with articulation disorders learn to speak clearly and confidently. Our expert Speech-Language Pathologists will assess your child’s unique needs and develop a personalized therapy plan to target the specific sounds they struggle with.
Through fun, engaging activities and exercises, your child will practice sound production, improve their speech clarity, and build the confidence they need to communicate with ease. Whether you visit us in-person or choose our convenient online therapy option, we’ll work closely with you and your child to create lasting progress.
Reach Out Today to Get Started
Ready to help your child speak clearly and confidently? Our team at Fluens Children’s Therapy is here to help your child reach their full communication potential!
Reach out to our team in University Place, WA, at (253) 212-3502 or our team in Columbia, TN, at (931) 982-6092 to schedule an evaluation today.