Articulation disorders in children: how to detect and when to consult a speech therapist
Articulation disorders in children are one of the most common causes of speech therapy consultation. They affect the correct production of sounds and can hinder speech comprehension. Early evaluation and intervention are key to preventing language and school delays.
What are articulation disorders in children?
An articulation disorder occurs when a child has difficulty producing speech sounds accurately. It may be manifested by substitutions, omissions, distortions (poorly formed sounds) or additions of sounds.
These alterations affect speech intelligibility, especially outside the home environment.
Normal development of speech sounds by language
The development of speech (or phonological) sounds is not the same in all languages. The age and order in which children learn to pronounce sounds correctly varies according to the language they speak.
In Spanish, children usually first acquire the simplest sounds such as “p”, “b”, “m”, “t”, “d”, “n”. Between the ages of 3 and 4, they learn sounds such as “k”, “g”, “f”, “s”, and by the age of 5 or 6 they manage to produce more complex sounds such as the strong “r” or “ll” (in areas where it is still distinguishable).
In French, the first sounds that appear are usually “m”, “n”, “p”, “b”, “t”, “d”. Sounds like “ch” (as in chat) or “j” (as in je) appear later, usually between the ages of 5 and 6.
In EnglishChildren usually start with sounds such as “p”, “b”, “m”, “t”, “d”, “n” before the age of 3. More difficult sounds, such as “sh” (as in shoe), “th” (as in think) or “r” (as in run) can take up to 6 or even 7 years to consolidate.
It is therefore important to assess pronunciation taking into account the child’s language and the developmental norms for each language.
How are articulation disorders in children evaluated?
The speech therapist performs spontaneous speech observation, lists of words and phrases to repeat, and standardized tests of articulation and intelligibility.
It may also include the study of phonology, orofacial praxias and orofacial myofunctional function.
What happens if an articulation disorder is not treated?
An untreated disorder can hinder social interaction, affect learning to read and write, and also reduce a child’s self-esteem.
Research shows that early intervention significantly improves language and academic development.
Effective treatments for articulation disorders
Evidence-based approaches include:
- Modeling and visual feedback of sounds,
- Phonological therapy (minimal contrasts, classes of sounds),
- Production games in real context.
Orofacial muscle exercises without specific sound training alone are not sufficient.
When to consult a speech therapist?
It is advisable to consult if:
- the child is not well understood from the age of 3-4 years,
- there are persistent errors after the age of 5-6 years,
- there are observations or concerns from the school.
Speech therapy evaluations and sessions in Malaga
I offer assessments and personalized sessions in French, English and Spanish for children with articulation disorders. In the first consultation we perform a complete evaluation to design an adapted therapeutic plan.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (n.d.). Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonology. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/Practice-Portal/Clinical-Topics/Articulation-and-Phonology/
- Dodd, B. (2005). Differential diagnosis and treatment of children with speech disorder (2nd ed.) Wiley-Blackwell.
- Gierut, J. A. (2001). Complexity in phonological treatment: Clinical factors. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 32(4), 229-241. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2001/019)
- Jiménez, J. E., & O’Shanahan, I. (2008). Intervención en los trastornos del habla y del lenguaje.Editorial Síntesis.
- McLeod, S., & Baker, E. (2017). Children’s speech: An evidence-based approach to assessment and intervention.. Pearson.
- National Early Literacy Panel. (2008). Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel.. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/NELPReport09.pdf
- Restrepo, M. A., & Silverman, S. W. (2001). Articulation and phonological disorders in Spanish-English bilingual children. Seminars in Speech and Language, 22(1), 45-54. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2001-15191
- Vihman, M. M. (2014). Phonological development: The first two years. Wiley-Blackwell.
