What are Speech Sound Disorders?

Speech sound disorders (SSDs) are disorders in which child have any difficulty or a many difficulties with motor production of sound and phonological image of speech sounds. Not all language(s) features same speech sounds features as mainstream American English. For children during neurodevelopmental stage of life who are bilingual and use more than one language, the rules of one phonological system may transfer and it can influence the speech production in another. These influences of one language on another do not indicate an speech sound disorder. There are two types of speech sound disorder SSDs. SSDs be organic or idiopathic in nature. Organic speech sound disorder are due to any motor/neurological issue and these are called neurological disorders for example childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria. Structural abnormalities for example cleft lip/palate and other structural issues and anomalies. Sensory or perceptual disorders for hearing loss Idiopathic speech sound disorders have no known cause.

The Diagnostic Criteria of Speech Sound Disorder:

Diagnostic Criteria A.

The child face issues and difficulty with speech sound production. The difficulty in speech and sound production interferes with speech clarity. Lack of speech clarity averts verbal communication of messages.

Diagnostic Criteria B

The disturbance in speech and sound production causes limitations communication effectively with others. This limited communication interferes with social participation and academic achievement.

Diagnostic Criteria C

The symptoms of speech sound disorder starts to develop during the early developmental period of life.

Diagnostic Criteria D

The speech sound difficulties are not due to acquired conditions like cerebral palsy, cleft palate and any traumatic brain injury. The production of Speech sound both required phonological knowledge of speech sounds. The articulators for example the jaw, tongue, and lip must be coordinated with breathing and vocalizing for speech. Children who have speech production difficulties, they may experience trouble with phonological knowledge of speech sounds and the capability to coordinate movements for speech. Speech sound disorder is diagnosed only if speech sound production is not that is expected on the developmental stage and age of child.

Onset of Speech Sound Disorder

For a child with three years of age overall speech should be intelligible. For a child at the age of 2 years, only 50% of speech may be understandable. A positive family history of speech sound disorder or language disorders is also some time present. Children who have speech sound disorder continue to use small and immature phonological words.