Speech sound disorders are any difficulties or combination of difficulties with perception, motor production, or phonological representation of speech sounds and speech segments.
Speech-speech sound Disorders can be divided into Organic and functional categories. Organic Speech-Speech Sound Disorders are based on motor/neurological deficits or differences, structural differences, or sensory/perceptual differences.
Motor/Neurological speech sound disorders are those as a result of difficulties with execution and motor planning. Dysarthria and apraxia of speech are examples of motor/neurological speech sound disorders. Structural speech sound disorders are speech difficulties due to structural abnormalities. Examples of structural speech disorders include cleft palate, children with orofacial abnormalities, or structure deficits related to traumatic events or surgery.
Sensory/Perceptual speech sound disorders result from a disorder in sensory or perception. Speech difficulties caused by hearing impairment are an example.
Functional speech sound disorders are related to the motor production of speech sounds and the linguistic aspects of speech production. While there are no obvious causes when it comes to functional speech sound disorders, there are some risk factors to consider such as gender, complications with mother's pregnancy or delivery, family history of speech difficulties, or persistent ear infections (otitis media). Functional speech disorders are referred to as articulation disorders and phonological disorders.
Articulation disorders focus on errors in the production of individual speech sounds. Children with articulation disorders are unable to coordinate their oral mechanisms to produce certain sounds.
Phonological disorders focus on predictable, rule-based errors that affect more than one sound. In other words, children can produce sounds correctly but have trouble combining sounds to form words correctly.
It is often difficult to differentiate between articulation and phonological disorders. A child may have both at the same time.
You have several options when it comes to assessing children for speech sound disorders. Screening and comprehensive assessment. Screenings are conducted whenever a speech sound disorder is suspected or as part of a. evaluation for a child with communication concerns. The purpose of the screening is to identify individuals who require further speech-language assessment and referral for other professional services. Comprehensive Assessments look at the child as a whole. Comprehensive assessments are conducted using standardized and non-standardized material and formal or informal assessments.
When it comes to treatment, there are plenty of approaches to try. Look at the child's areas of strength and weakness and compare them to the options different approaches target. Sometimes, the first approach we try will work, and other times, it will take multiple attempts at different approaches before we finally see progress.
Check out ASHA's website for more information about speech sound disorders.
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