Child Speech Sound Disorders

Page 1: Objectives

  • After studying this chapter, students will be able to:

    • Describe consonants and vowels according to categories of articulation.

    • Explain theories related to phonological development and disorders.

    • Identify historical contributors to speech sound disorders.

    • Compare typical vs atypical speech sound development.

    • Discuss articulation vs phonological assessment.

    • Discuss articulation vs phonological treatment.

    • Describe phonological awareness.

    • Describe cultural considerations in speech sound disorders.


Page 2: Key Terms

  • Speech Sound Disorder: Affects production of speech sounds.

  • Phonological Disorder: Impaired organization of speech sounds.

  • Phonemes: Basic sound units of a language.

  • International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): System for representing phonemes.

  • Place of Articulation: Where in the vocal tract the sound is made (e.g., bilabial, labio-dental).

  • Manner of Articulation: How the sound is produced (e.g., stops, fricatives).

  • Consonant Voicing: Whether vocal cords vibrate (voiced vs voiceless).

  • Phonological Awareness: Understanding of sound structures within words.


Page 3: Introduction to Speech Sound Disorders

  • Key milestones include producing single words, typically 1-2 syllables.

  • As children age, their utterances become longer and more complex.

  • By ages 6-7, children should produce all English speech sounds.

  • Children unable to do so may have a speech sound disorder, ranging in severity.

Terminology and Definitions

  • Phonemes: Consonant and vowel sounds in a language.

  • Phonology: Study of sound organization and use in language.

  • Virgules (/): Marks used in phonetics to denote phonemes.

  • English has a complex sound-symbol relationship; 26 letters represent 42 sounds.

  • The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents distinct sounds universally.


Page 4: Consonant Classification

  • Place of Articulation: Different locations where consonants are formed (e.g., bilabial using both lips).

  • Manner of Articulation: Types of closures or constrictions in producing sounds (e.g., stops vs. fricatives).

  • Voicing: Identification of whether sounds are voiced or voiceless.


Page 5: Vowel Classification

  • Vowels articulated without closure in the vocal tract.

  • Tongue Elevation: Height of the tongue during production (high/mid/low).

  • Tongue Advancement: Position of the tongue front/central/back.


Page 6: Phonological Development

  • Children learn speech sounds gradually from 1 to 6 years.

  • Vowels acquired before consonants, with an orderly acquisition pattern.

  • Misarticulations lead to consideration of a speech sound disorder in children.


Page 7: Severity of Speech Sound Disorders

  • Statistics: 15% of preschool children are affected; about 6% by school age.

  • Diagnosis includes assessing intelligibility and severity based on normative data.

  • Boys are more likely than girls to have speech sound disorders.


Page 8: Longitudinal Contributions

  • Historical understanding of speech sound disorders spans significant research.

  • Key figures include Edward Wheeler Scripture, Lee Edward Travis, and Grant Fairbanks.


Page 9: Types of Speech Sound Disorders

  • Organized by presumed causes:

    • Structural: Physical abnormalities (cleft lip/palate).

    • Neurological: Issues from the nervous system affecting speech.

    • Functional: No clear anatomical cause; related to learning and organizing sounds.


Page 10: Treatment Approaches

  • Articulation Approach focuses on correct speech sound production.

  • Phonological Approach focuses on modifying a child’s overall phonological system.


Page 11: Current Theories in Speech Sound Disorders

  • Theories include:

    • Behaviorist Theory: Emphasizes environmental influences on speech development.

    • Natural Phonology Theory: Suggests children’s speech reflects natural processes.

    • Optimality Theory: Focuses on constraints that limit sound production.


Page 12: Assessment and Diagnosis

  • Assessments involve collecting speech samples and analyzing speech patterns.

  • Key focus on:

    • Spontaneous vs. structured sampling.

    • Understanding misarticulations using SODA and phonological patterns.


Page 13: Phonological Awareness in Treatment

  • Phonological awareness is crucial in treatment plans to improve communication and literacy skills.

  • Activities to enhance phonological awareness work alongside speech production tasks.


Page 14: Cultural Considerations

  • Understanding accents and dialects is crucial in evaluating speech sound disorders.

  • Bilingual and multilingual competencies affect speech patterns and may influence diagnosis.

  • Misconceptions about varieties like African American English should be addressed.


Page 29: Summary of Chapter

  • Types of speech sound disorders: structural, neurological, functional.

  • Importance of assessment to accurately profile disorder severity and plan treatment.

  • Effective treatment can improve communication, literacy, and social integration in children.