What is an Articulation Disorder?

  • Incorrect speech sound productions.

  • Decreased speech clarity or communication.

  • Speech errors that are not “age-appropriate.”

WHAT CAN an Articulation DISORDER LOOK LIKE?

  • Infants

    Limited or delayed babbling

    Reduced consonant production variety

    Weak/Inconsistent oral-motor movements

    Difficulty producing early developing sounds: /b/, /p/, /m/, /t/, /d/, or /n/

    Weak/Quiet vocal sounds

    Tongue interfering with sound productions (forward position)

    Nasal resonance

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  • Children/ Adolescents

    Persistent Sound Errors
    -After 7 or 8 years old
    Examples of Speech Sound Errors
    /w/ for /r/- “wabbit” for “rabbit”
    “th” for /s/- “thun” for “sun”
    /d/ for “th”- “dis” for “this”
    /f/ for “th”- “fumb” for “thumb
    Deletion- “ca” for “cat”
    Reduction- “pane” for “plane”
    “Lisp” sounds

    Difficulty being understood by unfamiliar listeners after age 4-5

    Self-consciousness/reluctance to speak

    Increased effort or difficulties with longer sentences or complex words

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  • Adults

    Persistent or inconsistent speech sound errors

    Speech sounds are “slurred” or “imprecise”

    Reduced precision with connected speech/conversation

    Difficulties being understood when speaking quickly or when tired

    Strained or effortful speech

    Frequent communication breakdowns

    Self-consciousness/reluctance to speak

    Increased effort or difficulties with longer sentences or complex words

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what Can Cause
Articulation disorders?

    • Ankyloglossia (Tongue Tie)

    • Labial Tie (Lip Tie)

    • Enlarged Tonsils/Adenoids

    • High/Narrow Palate

    • Small Oral Cavity

    • Jaw Abnormalities

      • Asymmetry

      • Micrognathia

    • Velopharyngeal Insufficiency (Inadequate closure between nasal and oral cavity)

    • Oral Tumors, Trauma, Surgery, etc.

    • Buccal Tie (Cheek Tie)

    • Malocclusion

      • Open Bite

      • Underbite

      • Crossbite

      • Crowding

      • Spacing

    • Missing/Misaligned Teeth

    • Congenital Hearing Loss

      • Present at birth

    • Acquired Hearing Loss

      • Chronic ear infections, noise exposure, age, etc.

    • Auditory Processing Issues

    • Prolonged Non-Nutrative Sucking

    • Inefficient oral compensatory strategies

    • “Learned” lisp or distortion

    • Late sound acquisition

    • Lack of exposure

    • Bilingual phoneme influences

    • Oral Habits

      • Thumb Sucking

      • Prolonged pacifier use

      • Tongue thrust

    • Craniofacial Differences

      • Cleft Palate

      • Cleft Lip

      • Bifid Uvula

      • Submucosal Cleft

    • Low or High Muscle Tone

    • Motor Planning Difficulties

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