Articulation

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