Speech
Speech disorders are often the most recognized aspect of speech therapy. Speech concerns the way that we pronounce sounds and words.
Speech is what speech therapy is best known for treating and contains articulation, fluency, and voice. Articulation is the way that we make sounds with our articulators (lips, mouth, tongue, teeth).
Articulation errors can occur in childhood, such as not being able to say “r” in words, so it sounds like “west” instead of “rest.” Errors in speech sounds can limit intelligibility and make children frustrated when communicating.
Articulation issues can also occur in adulthood as well - adults may experience dysarthria, a motor speech disorder with weak or uncoordinated speech muscles. Adults may also experience apraxia of speech, which is when someone experiences difficulties sequencing, coordinating, and producing speech sounds. Adult speech issues often develop over time or after a head injury, such as a traumatic brain injury or stroke.
What about the fluency or voice aspects of speech?
You can read more about fluency here, and more about voice here!
I make speech errors sometimes - should I see a speech therapist?
Whether or not you need intervention for speech errors depends on several factors, such as age, consistency of errors, and frequency of errors. We often take our speech for granted - it requires quite a bit of coordination between our brain and muscles to speak clearly! It’s normal to make mistakes here and there.
However, if speech errors are consistent (meaning struggling with the same sound(s) repeatedly), if speech errors are frequent, if you or a loved one present with limited intelligibility, if you or a loved one get frustrated when others’ can’t understand your speech, or if your speech errors get worse as the day progresses or the more you talk, you should seek out professional support.
My child is difficult to understand - should I be worried?
Children often present with more speech sound errors as they start learning how to speak. Some speech sound errors are considered typical for certain age ranges - for example, we would not expect a 2-year-old to have mastered the “L” sound yet! If your child struggles with certain sounds and you’re not sure if those errors are appropriate for their age, use this chart as a guideline.
If your child is still struggling with a sound they should’ve developed already, then speech therapy is recommended for you!
For example, consider the example of a 2-year-old not yet making the “L” sound. Issues with making the “L” sound in words is considered typical, so they may say “lion” like “wion,” or “yellow” like “yewow.” However, if that child turns 6 years old and still cannot consistently use the “L” sound, they would be a candidate for speech therapy intervention.
My child is in middle school and still has speech sound errors. Is it too late to treat speech errors?
Not necessarily - the earlier that a speech therapist can work with a child with speech sound errors, the better. Younger children have an easier time adjusting their speech patterns and make progress quicker. Older children have a harder time adjusting speech patterns, as they have practiced the wrong way to make a sound their whole lives. Older children require increased repetition of corrected speech sounds and more support and practice at home.
However, it is important to note that speech sound errors may not be fully repairable at older ages.
Adult Speech Errors
As mentioned, adult speech sound errors may be different or develop differently than those in children. Adults may experience fatigue and weakness of the facial muscles needed for speech, leading to slurring, monotone speech, changes in vocal quality, or reduced volume. These are markers for a condition called dysarthria, which affects the motor skills regarding speech. Dysarthria may develop after a head injury or stroke, or as a symptom of degenerative disease.
Apraxia of speech is another aspect of speech difficulties for adults. Apraxia of speech affects the motor coordination and planning of articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, etc.). Someone with apraxia may present with inconsistent errors, slower speech, or groping for speech. Groping is the visible, physical struggle of moving the lips, tongue, or jaw in order to put them in the right position to produce a sound. Apraxia may be caused by head injuries, strokes, or dementia.
What does speech therapy for speech disorders look like?
Speech therapy looks different for everyone, and addressing articulation errors may look different depending on age and cause of errors.
Addressing speech sound errors in children often starts with an initial evaluation to determine if any errors they are making are appropriate for their age. Articulation therapy often involves the speech therapist correcting placement and production of sound errors and having the client practice the corrected sound in syllables, words, phrases, sentences, and ultimately, conversation. These are often referred to as “articulation drills.”
While it may feel monotonous for kids to practice their sounds over and over, it’s important to know that we are reteaching the brain and muscles how to coordinate appropriately. Think of the way you learned to throw a ball. Maybe you got it right the first time, but even then, you may not be consistent with the second, third, or fourth throw. To teach your body how to throw a ball consistently, you have to pay attention to and practice that movement until it is second nature. The same is true for articulation!
For dysarthria treatment, treatment depends on the type of dysarthria you present with. There are six different types of dysarthria: ataxic, hypokinetic, hyperkinetic, spastic, flaccid, and mixed. Learn more about the types of dysarthria and treatment here!
Apraxia treatment looks different depending on the age of the client and severity of their apraxia. Apraxia treatment for all ages and severity focuses on increasing the visual cues and support for producing sounds and retraining the brain to sequence and coordinate articulators correctly. There are some aspects for this treatment that are similar to articulation drills. Learn more about childhood apraxia of speech here and more about apraxia of speech here.
If you have a diagnosis that is contributing to difficulties with your speech, or if you have more questions regarding speech sound errors, please look into our links below.
Related Links
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