Speech Sound Disorders

What is a speech sound disorder?

A speech sound disorder (SSD) occurs when there are difficulties producing or articulating sounds correctly in speech. This impacts the child's clarity and intelligibility of speech, making it hard to understand what they are saying.

Speech sound disorders can present as one or more of the below:

An articulation disorder (e.g., lisps).
A phonological delay (e.g., a child of 4 years is saying “pish” for “fish” and “teal” for “seal”).
A phonological disorder (e.g., deleting the first consonant in words like “up” for “cup”).
Motor speech disorder (e.g., childhood apraxia of speech).

Speech sound disorders can be complex and multifaceted. It is recommended to book an initial speech assessment if you have concerns about your child’s clarity of speech.

Types of Speech Sound Disorders

Articulation Disorder

Articulation errors occur when a child is unable to execute the correct placement of their articulators (e.g., lips, tongue, teeth, palate, and jaw) for certain speech sounds.

For example, lisps are caused by an incorrect tongue position (e.g., an interdental lisp occurs when the tongue incorrectly comes forward between the teeth, so "s" is said as "th"). Speech therapy is recommended to address this issue.

Phonological Disorders

Phonological disorders occur when children make unusual speech error patterns that do not occur in typical development (e.g., initial consonant deletion: "ip" is said instead of "lip"). Speech therapy is recommended to address this issue.

Phonological Delay

When children first learn to talk, they simplify their speech by using patterns of sound substitutions or deletions to make words easier to say.

These substitutions or deletions are known as phonological processes (e.g., a child says "wabbit" for "rabbit", a process known as gliding). Phonological processes are a natural and normal part of a child's speech development.

As children grow, phonological processes typically diminish at various stages of development. However, some children continue to use these processes beyond the expected age. For example, a child over 4 years of age might still substitute fricative sounds, saying "pish" for "fish," "teal" for "seal," or "bet" for "vet." When phonological processes persist beyond the expected age, it is referred to as a phonological delay. In such cases, speech therapy is recommended to help address the issue.

A Motor Speech Disorder

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a relatively rare motor speech disorder.

Children with CAS present with:

Difficulty in planning and coordinating fine motor movements for accurate speech production.
Difficulty producing consonant and vowel sounds, syllables, words, and sentences.
Speech difficulties can range from mild to severe.
Nonverbal supports may be required to assist communication.

Treatment goals focus on motor planning, sequencing, and coordination of muscle movements using multi-sensory feedback. Evidence suggests intensive, regular weekly treatment sessions are most effective for these children. Speech therapy is strongly recommended to address this issue.

At Sydney Speech and Munchies Lesley takes a neurodiverse affirming approach to speech pathology assessments and therapy.

Initial Consult

Let’s get to know each other.
Listening to your concerns.
Gathering information about your child.
Recommendation made for type and cost of assessment.
Scheduling assessment time.

Assessment Session

Initial assessment.
Informal feedback provided.
Assessment results provided in a formal report.

Planning & Discussion

Discussing assessment results.
Recommendations for therapy goals.
If required, contact with other allied health.

Therapy

Neurodiverse affirming therapy.
Booking session times.

Review

Review of therapy progress and feedback provided at different times.
Review of therapy goals.

At Sydney Speech and Munchies, Lesley Slattery provides neurodiverse affirming therapy for pre-school and primary school children in the convenience of their home, school, or other familiar location.

We offer services for:

Speech Difficulties

A speech sound disorder (SSD) occurs when there are difficulties producing or articulating sounds correctly in speech.

Fussy Eating & ARFID

ARFID is characterised by a limited range of food intake and an avoidance of certain foods based on sensory characteristics, texture, or fear of choking. This behaviour goes beyond the typical picky eater.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

OMT focuses on improving the function of the muscles in and around the mouth (the orofacial region). OMT focuses on improving the function of the muscles in the orofacial region, including those involved in breathing, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Therapy addresses and corrects muscle imbalances that can affect oral and facial function.

Literacy difficulties

Literacy difficulties are often characterised by challenges with reading, writing, and spelling, decoding words, understanding written text, and expressing thoughts in writing. These difficulties can impact academic performance and everyday communication.

Language Difficulties

Language difficulties can arise in both receptive and expressive language skills. Receptive language difficulties involve challenges with understanding spoken or written language, while expressive language difficulties affect a person’s ability to communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings effectively through speech or writing. These difficulties can impact communication and comprehension, leading to challenges in academic and social settings.

Gestalt Language Processing

GLP is a distinct approach to language processing in which individuals often learn and use language in chunks or gestalts, rather than focusing on individual words or components.

Contact Us

Lesley Slattery is an experienced speech pathologist and is the owner of Sydney Speech and Munchies.

Lesley is known for prioritising a neurodiversity affirming approach to speech ,literacy, language and feeding therapy, bringing personalized, compassionate care directly to clients and caregivers, whether at home, school, or another familiar setting.