Articulation problems are a common speech sound disorder affecting an individual’s ability to produce specific sounds clearly. These difficulties can make spoken language harder to understand, affecting communication. Understanding these challenges helps identify when support may be beneficial to improve speech clarity.
What Are Articulation Problems?
Articulation involves the precise movements of the lips, tongue, teeth, and palate, along with breath control, to create clear speech sounds. Articulation problems occur when individuals consistently struggle to make certain sounds correctly for their age. This difficulty stems from issues with the motor functions needed to produce these sounds.
There are several common ways articulation errors manifest. Substitutions involve replacing one sound with another, such as saying “wabbit” instead of “rabbit” or “fumb” for “thumb”. Omissions happen when a sound is left out of a word entirely, for example, saying “nana” for “banana”.
Distortions occur when a sound is produced inaccurately, though it may still be recognizable, such as a “slushy” sounding “s” or a lisp where the “s” sound is produced like a “th”. Additions involve inserting an extra sound into a word, like saying “buh-lue” instead of “blue”. These errors can make speech difficult to understand.
Understanding the Causes
Articulation difficulties can arise from a range of factors. Many young children naturally make speech errors while learning to speak; these often resolve as they mature, with most children producing all speech sounds correctly by age four or five. For many developmental articulation disorders, a specific cause is not always identified.
Physical differences in oral structures can contribute to articulation problems. These include a cleft palate (an opening in the roof of the mouth) or dental issues like an overbite or underbite. Tongue-tie, where the tissue connecting the tongue to the mouth floor is unusually short, can also restrict tongue movement and affect speech.
Neurological conditions can also impact the muscles and nerves involved in speech. Dysarthria results from muscle weakness or paralysis affecting speech clarity and strength. Apraxia of speech is another motor speech disorder impacting the brain’s ability to plan and coordinate speech movements.
Diagnosis and Intervention
Articulation problems are often identified when parents or caregivers notice concerns about a child’s speech clarity. A speech-language pathologist (SLP) conducts screenings and assessments to determine if a speech sound disorder is present. Assessments involve listening to the individual’s speech in various contexts and observing oral structures like the lips, tongue, and palate.
Professional help is recommended if a child’s speech errors persist beyond age-based milestones or if their speech is frequently difficult to understand. For example, by age five, most children should be able to produce the majority of speech sounds clearly. If a child exhibits frustration or withdrawal due to communication difficulties, intervention may be beneficial.
Speech therapy with a licensed speech-language pathologist is the primary intervention for articulation problems. Therapists work with individuals on specific sounds by teaching the correct placement and movement of the tongue, lips, and jaw. This involves structured practice, drills, and visual, auditory, and tactile cues to reinforce correct sound production. Consistent home practice and active parental involvement are important for supporting progress and long-term improvements in speech skills.