5 Myths About Speech Sound Disorders

Is your child currently receiving speech therapy services for a speech sound disorder? Do you have a child who you are unsure if you should have them evaluated by a speech therapist for the way their words sound? Does your child say Wabbit for Rabbit? Do you have preconceived ideas of what that means? If any of these sound like you-- or you are curious about speech sounds in general, keep reading! We will dive into common misconceptions about speech sounds and what you should know instead.

5 Myths About Speech Sound Disorders

1. Speech errors are just a phase. Every child will grow out of it.

Let me begin by saying, different sounds are acquired at different ages. So in some cases, children WILL develop certain sounds at a later developmentally appropriate age. However, this is not always the case. Many children with sound errors benefit from early speech intervention, especially if they are past the typical age of acquisition. Most children have almost all correct speech sounds at age 4. Curious about what age most English speaking children develop different sounds? Check out this link to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association milestones https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/speech-sound-disorders/#resources

2. Speech errors are caused by laziness.

This is not true. There are a variety of causes for speech sound disorders, and the truth is you might not know why your child has errors, but I can assure you it is not from lack of effort with speaking. Many of these children work so hard to change their speech-- remember it takes time. Laziness did not cause a speech sound disorder.

3. Children with sound errors should be corrected immediately and constantly.

I appreciate parent's desires to help their children with their speech sounds, however constant correcting is not the answer. Have you child work with a speech therapist, ask them when and how to correct your child and set aside structured time each day to practice their sounds (explore options under our resources tab). Constant correction can be frustrating to a child and you never want to damage their confidence to speak. Explain to your child that their message is important to you, and that the correctness of the sounds will come. There is a time when it is appropriate for you, as the parent, to help your child identify when a sound is correct, but remember it is not every time-- and it is not in front of peers (especially if the child is older) as this can be damaging.

4. Speech therapy is only for severe cases of sound disorders.

Speech therapy can be beneficial for mild to moderate cases of sound disorders as well. If you have concerns about your child's speech, have them evaluated by a speech-language pathologist. Remember, early intervention is important. If you are unsure, trust your gut and seek out an evaluation.

5. Speech sound disorder will automatically affect a child's future academic success

Although speech sound errors can create difficulties with literacy and spelling, remember they are not a marker of intelligence. Many bright gifted children can have speech sound errors. The earlier your child receives services the better in terms of literacy, phonological awareness, and spelling.

Conclusion

When your child does not have the sounds that their peers do, it can be confusing how to help. Just know that there are many professionals, including resources at Language Blossoms, who are there to help. Do you have any more questions about speech sound disorders? Did you previously believe any of these myths? Comment below.