Treatment for Articulation Disorders in Monroe, West Monroe, & Ruston, LA
Speech therapy helps children who have trouble producing clear speech sounds, whether that means substituting, leaving out, distorting, or adding sounds to words. Building Futures Pediatric Therapy offers speech therapy at clinics in Monroe, West Monroe, and Ruston, LA, using play-based sessions to help children build confidence and speak clearly at their own pace.
It takes children time to learn how to clearly speak and use words, but some children have underlying delays that make it harder for them to pronounce words clearly. If your child has an articulation disorder, our speech-language pathologists are here to help. Keep reading to learn what an articulation disorder is, how it can impact your child’s development, and why early intervention with speech therapy is vital for your child’s overall wellbeing and confidence.
What Is an Articulation Disorder?
Articulation is simply the way you produce speech sounds. It involves the movements of your lips, tongue, and throat to create the sounds for different words. An articulation disorder is when a child has difficulty with those movements which impacts how well they can produce speech sounds. Not only can this make it hard for others to understand them, but it can impact their confidence and ability to succeed in school
What Are the Types of Articulation Disorder?
There are four different areas of articulation with which a child can struggle:
- Substitution– replacing one sound with another (example: saying “wabbit” instead of “rabbit”).
- Omission– leaving out certain sounds in words (example: saying “cool”
instead of “school”). - Distortion– altering the sound slightly, making it difficult to understand (example: a lisp or a slurred “s” sound).
- Addition– adding unnecessary sounds to words (example: saying “puh-lease” instead of just “please”
Signs and Symptoms of Articulation Disorders
In addition to the substitution, omission, distortion, or addition of sounds when speaking, common signs of an articulation disorder include:
- Difficulty pronouncing sounds appropriate for their age
- Frustration at not being understood
- Others can’t understand what they’re trying to say
- Unwillingness to speak with others
- Lowered confidence or self-esteem
How Speech Therapy Treats Articulation Disorders
Speech therapy is designed to help your child improve their speech clarity and empower them to communicate effectively with others. Our pediatric speech-language pathologists use proven, play-based therapy techniques to help children overcome articulation challenges. We use visual and tactile cues to help your child see and feel the correct way to articulate speech sounds, plus lots of practice with oral motor skills to ensure your child has the strength to articulate their speech sounds. Our speech therapists also model the proper way to form these sounds so that your child can mimic the correct movements and improve their speech clarity.
The Importance of Early Intervention for Articulation Disorders
When it comes to your child’s development, you don’t want to “wait and see.” While some children can learn to overcome articulation disorders on their own, it’s better to get them support as soon as you notice they’re struggling. This can prevent them from forming bad speech habits, protect their self-esteem, and empower them to communicate freely with others from a young age. The sooner you get your child support, the easier it will be for them to reach their speech and language milestones.
Free Developmental Screening
If you’re concerned about your child’s development, you can take advantage of our free online developmental screening. This tool is a convenient way for parents to know with certainty if your child is achieving their developmental milestones or if they need extra support to achieve their brightest future.
FreQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When should I worry about my child’s speech sounds?
It is normal for young children to mispronounce some sounds while they are learning to talk. An evaluation from a speech therapist may be beneficial if non-family members often have trouble understanding your child, your child gets frustrated when speaking, or they have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds past a certain age.
What is the difference between an articulation difficulty and a language delay?
An articulation difficulty affects how clearly a child says certain sounds. A language delay affects how a child understands words, uses words or puts sentences together. Some children have one concern, while others may need support in both areas.
Can speech therapy help with lisps or speech sound substitutions?
Yes. Speech therapy can help children learn how to place their tongue, lips and jaw for clearer speech sounds. Practice is usually done through playful activities so your child can build the sound in words, sentences and everyday conversation.
Will my child grow out of an articulation disorder?
Some speech sound errors improve with time, but not all do. If the same sounds stay unclear, or your child is getting frustrated, therapy can help prevent those patterns from becoming harder to change later.
How can I help my child practice without making them feel corrected all day?
The best home practice is short, positive and low-pressure. Your therapist may give you a few target words or games to use at home. It helps to model the correct sound naturally and praise effort instead of stopping your child every time they speak.