Articulation

Articulation is how we produce or make speech sounds.

Speech is the sound pattern of language. It is made up of combinations of sounds that form words. Language is a tool we use to express ideas and feelings.

Learning to speak with correct articulation requires:

• The growth and motor control of the child’s lips, jaws, teeth, tongue, the hard palate and the velum or soft palate.
• The child’s ability to hear and distinguish speech sounds.
• The child’s cognitive development, the growth of thinking skills.

Learning to speak is a process that develops gradually from infancy to seven or eight years of age.

Children develop speech abilities at different rates and ages. Some children develop faster or slower than the average.

The Steps Of Speech Development:

1. Before Baby’s First Birthday he/she is listening to you! He/she recognizes voices; he/she notices the difference between similar speech sounds such as “p” and “b”; he/she is very aware of changes in inflection or your tone of voice. He/she develops rapidly from crying to cooing to squeals and growls and “raspberries” as he/she gains control of his/her oral structures. Soon baby is “practicing” sounds most of his/her waking time. This babbling of strings of connected sounds (like “ba-ba-ba-ba” and “ba-da-da-na”) is the way he/she fine tunes the oral motor skills needed for actual speech.

2. First Words usually emerge around 12-18 months of age. These first words are usually limited to a few favorite consonant and vowel sounds. These are most likely to include p,b,m,n. Gradually the number of different sounds baby uses expands.

3. Very Rapid Speech Development occurs between 18-36 months of age. During this time, children use a greater variety of sounds and sound combinations. When they encounter a word that is difficult to produce, they may use some type of “shorthand” to simplify pronunciation, like da for dog; pane for plane; pit for fish; or tephone for telephone. By age 3, your child should be well on his/her way to mastery of most vowels and these consonant sounds: n, m, p, h, f, w, t, k, d, g, b, ng, (sing).

4. More Difficult Sounds are usually learned between 3 and 4 years of age, although they may take several years to fully develop. These sounds are: l, r, sh, ch, y, v, z, s, j, th. Also during this time, children no longer need the “shorthand” tricks for simplifying pronunciation which they used when they were younger.

When to become concerned about your child’s articulation.

1. When your child’s articulation calls attention to itself. When other adults or children comment upon your child’s speech.
2. When your child shows frustration with his/her unsuccessful attempts at communication. He may give up trying to make you understand his/her speech.
3. When your child shows embarrassment about his/her speech. He may avoid speaking situations.
4. When your child makes errors on sounds which other children his/her age have mastered.

IF you are concerned…

ABILITIES can help you determine whether or not your child’s speech is appropriate for his/her age by administering an articulation screening or evaluation.

If it is determined that your child has an articulation disorder, speech therapy can help him/her learn to produce speech sounds correctly.