Quick Guide to Speech Sound Disorder

Speech sound disorder is a communication disorder. Children with speech sound disorder have trouble speaking clearly and making the sounds they need to talk. They might struggle to control their voices or produce specific sounds. Some also have speech problems like stuttering or lisping. Other people often have a hard time understanding what children with speech sound disorder are trying to say. 

Speech sound disorder is different from language disorder. Speech sound disorder only involves problems making sound. Language disorder involves problems using and understanding language in general. Kids with speech sound disorder do not have trouble understanding language.

It’s normal for children to use simple or unclear language sounds when they are very young. By around the age of three, most kids speak more clearly. If a child’s speech does not develop as they get older, they might have speech sound disorder. 

Specific signs that a child may have speech sound disorder include: 

• Trouble moving the jaw, tongue and lips 
• Struggling to make specific speech sounds 
• Not speaking as well as other children their age 
• Not speaking clearly enough for others to understand  
• Suddenly changing pitch or volume while talking 
• Hoarse, raspy or nasal voice 
• Running out of air while speaking 
• Lisping or stuttering 
• Having a hard time chewing, blowing their nose, or otherwise using muscles in their face 

Speech sound disorder usually starts in early childhood, but it can also show up later. 

A speech and language pathologist can use standardized tests to figure out whether a child has speech sound disorder.  Kids are usually diagnosed when the speech sounds they make are much less clear than what’s expected for their age. 

Speech sound disorder is usually treated with speech therapy. In sessions, kids will:

• Learn how to correctly make sounds
• Learn how to tell when they’re making the wrong sound and fix it
• Practice and correct words they have trouble pronouncing
• Practice sounds in longer sentences
• Learn how to be comfortable with speaking

Children with speech sound disorder may feel uncomfortable talking or playing with other children. In some cases, this can cause depression or social anxiety.

• Request a special education evaluation from their school
• Take them to a speech-language pathologist
• Get your child voice lessons, which can provide techniques for breathing and pronunciation
• Read bedtime stories out loud together
• Repeat words and emphasize the correct speech sounds when they say it incorrectly

• Have them sit close to the front of the class, so they can hear you clearly
• Provide extra time to complete assignments
• Allow the student to substitute a written for an oral presentation
• When the student is speaking, wait patiently for them to finish