Speech and language disorders affect the way children talk, understand, analyze or process information.  Speech disorders include the clarity, voice quality, and fluency of a child’s spoken words.  Language disorders include a child’s ability to hold a meaningful conversation and comprehend and express thoughts through spoken or written words (ASHA).

 

Speech disorders can be categorized into three major areas:  articulation/ phonological processing, fluency, and voice.  An individual has an articulation problem if he/she is not producing speech sounds correctly.  A frontal lisp (“th” for “s”), such as “thoup” for “soup”, and “w” for “r” (“wed” for “red”) are common articulation errors.  Such errors are a part of typical speech development.  If the errors persist beyond the age of maturation, however, then an articulation problem can be identified.  Phonological processing refers replacement of one “class” of sounds for another.  For example, a young child may say “tup” for “cup”.  In this instance, he/she is using a sound produced toward the front of the mouth (“t”) for a sound produced in the back (“k”).  This is a process called “fronting”.  Like errors in articulation, a process such as fronting is part of normal speech development and typically disappears given time.  It is when such errors persist that a referral to a Speech/Language Pathologist is needed.

 

A language disorder is an impairment in the ability to understand and/or use words in context, both verbally and nonverbally.  Some characteristics of language disorders include improper use of words and their meanings, inability to express ideas, inappropriate grammatical patterns, reduced vocabulary and inability to follow directions.  Difficulties in expressive or receptive language skills often have an effect on the child’s ability to function in the classroom setting and to learn skills such as reading. 

 

Speech/Language Pathologists assist children who have communication disorders in several ways.  They provide individual or group therapy; consult with the child’s teacher about the most effective ways to assist the child in the classroom; and work with the child’s family to facilitate speech and communication in the home setting.