As a parent, it can be overwhelming to look up speech sound disorders and try to determine what applies to your child. Over the next few weeks, we will discuss a variety of common speech sound disorders that are seen in our practice. The first one we’ll discuss is a phonological disorder.
What is a Phonological Disorder?
A phonological disorder is a type of speech sound disorder where a child has difficulty producing certain sounds or groups of sounds. These difficulties can make their speech hard to understand, even though they may have no trouble understanding language or forming words. Children simplify their speech with phonological patterns. It is common for children to substitute or omit sounds as they are building their speech skills. At a certain age, we expect that children will no longer use these patterns and will produce the word accurately. If they continue to use these patterns to simplify their words past a certain age, then we consider that to be a phonological disorder.
Signs to Watch For:
1. Substituting Sounds: Your child might replace one sound with another (e.g., saying “wed” instead of “red”).
2. Omitting Sounds: They may leave out certain sounds in words (e.g., saying “boo” instead of “blue”).
3. Adding Sounds: Sometimes children add extra sounds where they shouldn’t be (e.g., saying “buh-lue” instead of “blue”).
4. Difficulty with Complex Words: Struggling with longer or more complex words compared to simpler ones.
5. Consistency: These errors often happen frequently, not just occasionally.
What Can Parents Do?
If you notice persistent difficulties in your child’s speech, contact a speech-language pathologist (SLP). The SLP will complete a comprehensive speech evaluation to determine if your child has a phonological disorder or another type of speech sound disorder and if therapy would be recommended. Our office specializes in the treatment of speech sound disorders. You can schedule your free consultation to discuss your concerns and learn more about our evaluation process by contacting us through our form: https://www.mittenspeechtherapy.com/free-consultation/
Phonological disorders can present challenges, but with early recognition and appropriate support, children can make great strides in their speech development. As a parent, staying attentive to your child’s speech milestones and seeking help when needed can pave the way for clearer communication and a brighter future.