How Can Speech Sound Disorder Be Treated?

What are Speech Sound Disorders?

Speech sound disorders are difficulties with making speech sounds correctly. This can include
trouble with how speech sounds are heard, how they’re made with the mouth, or how they’re put
together in words.

Types of Speech Sound Disorders:

Organic Speech Sound Disorders:

These happen because of something physical or neurological. For example, a child might have
trouble speaking because of a problem with how their brain plans and tells their mouth to move
(plan/execute), a structural issue like a cleft lip or palate, or trouble hearing (perceptual/sensory).

Functional Speech Sound Disorders:

These disorders don’t have a clear physical cause. They could be related to how the mouth moves
to make sounds or how sounds are put together in words. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if the
problem is with making specific sounds or with the rules of how sounds are used in words.

How Speech Sound Disorders Can Show Up:

Articulation Disorders: This means having trouble saying certain sounds, like saying “th”
instead of “s”.
Phonological Disorders: This involves making errors that follow certain patterns, like saying
“tat” for “cat”.

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if the problem is with saying specific sounds or with following the
rules of how sounds are used in words. That’s why experts often use the term “speech sound
disorder” to talk about these issues when the cause isn’t clear.

Getting Help:

If your child has trouble making speech sounds or you notice they’re struggling to speak clearly,
it’s important to seek help. Speech therapists can work with children to improve their speech and
communication skills. With the right support, many children can overcome speech sound
disorders and communicate more effectively.

How do Speech Therapists help People with Speech Sound Disorders?

Speech sound disorders happen when someone has trouble saying sounds correctly. This could
mean they mix up sounds, leave sounds out, or say sounds in the wrong way. It can make their
speech hard to understand.

Speech and language therapists, like special teachers for speech, help with this. They use games,
exercises, and fun activities to teach how to make sounds correctly. They might show how to
move the lips, tongue, and jaw in the right way for each sound. Sometimes they use pictures or
toys to make learning more enjoyable.

In therapy sessions, speech therapists and their clients practice saying sounds together. They
might also practice saying sounds in words and sentences. With practice and support, people
with speech sound disorders can improve their speech and be better understood by others.

Speech Sound Disorders Umbrella