Articulation, or the way we produce speech sounds, is the most frequent concern I receive from parents seeking help for their child. Parents and children alike can be come frustrated when there is a lot to say, but the intended message is not understood.
One of the most interesting aspects about speech sound development is that we don’t develop the sounds in the English language at the same rate. A child will develop and master the “b” years before mastering the “th.” These ages of mastery can also differ from child to child; however, there are limits on when a sound error is considered developmentally appropriate, and when a speech sound disorder is suspected.
As you can see in the chart above, the bar starts at the median age at which the sound is mastered, and stops at the age at which 90% of all children are producing the sound. For instance, the median age for the production of “r” is 3-years, but the age at which 90% of all children have mastered this sound is 6-years old. If I have a child that is not producing “r” correctly at 4-years old, this would be considered developmentally appropriate, but if the child is 7-years old, this would be considered an articulation disorder.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s speech sound development, contact us on Facebook, our contact page, email info@just-in-time-roofing.websitepro.hosting, or call us at (321) 300-6984.