• Red Flags

    Your child may have an articulation problem if:

    • Family/friends cannot understand his/her speech
    • Your child is frustrated when not understood
    • Your child leaves off the ends of words (ex. ca/cat)
    • Your child misarticulates sounds (ex. wabbit/rabbit)

    Norms

    • 90% of 3-year-olds have acquired the following sounds with a delay by age 4:
      m, h, n, w, b , p
    • 90% of 4-year-olds have acquired the following sounds with a delay by age 4.5:
      k, g, d, f, j, t
    • 90% of 6-year-olds have acquired the following sounds with a delay by age 6.5:
      ing, r, l, s, ch, sh, dj
    • 90% of 7-year-olds have acquired the following sounds with a delay by age 7.5:
      z, v, th (voiced), th (unvoiced)

    Therapy Techniques

    Traditional therapy approach for articulation errors includes:

    • Learn to listen for correct sound
    • Say sound correctly by itself, in a word, in phrases and sentences and in conversation
    • Other approaches are used if appropriate

    Parental Suggestions

    • Avoid “baby talk”
    • Model good speech
    • Praise correct speech
    • Read and talk with your child