Articulation All children make errors when they are learning to speak. An articulation error occurs when these errors continue past the age when most children their age are able to say them. It would not be considered an articulation error if the differences in speech are due to differences in dialect or accents. The chart below shows the ages at which most children have developed the correct production of speech sounds. If your child is not able to say the sounds and they are past the age listed before the sounds, an evaluation and therapy may be appropriate for your child.
Phonological Disorder A phonological process disorder occurs when speech sound errors occur in patterns of speech. Listed below are examples of phonological disorders and when they are typically no longer present in children's speech.
PHONOLOGICAL PROCESS
Word-final de-voicing: dog = dock 3:0
Final consonant deletion: hide = hi 3:3
Fronting: cot=tot 3:6
Assimilation: kittycat = tittytat 3:9
Weak syllable deletion: elephant = efant 4:0
Cluster reduction: spoon = poon 4:0
Gliding of liquids: run = one or leg = weg 5:0
Stopping: sick= tick or fan=pan 3:0
* ReferencesBowen, C. (1998). Developmental phonological disorders. A practical guide for families and teachers. Melbourne: ACER Press.
Grunwell, P. (1997). Natural phonology. In M. Ball & R. Kent (Eds.), The new phonologies: Developments in clinical linguistics. San Deigo, CA: Singular Publishing Group, Inc.