What is articulation?
Articulation is the process by which sounds,
syllables, and words are formed when your
tongue, jaw, teeth, lips, and palate alter the
air stream coming from the vocal folds.
What is an articulation problem?
A person has an articulation problem when he
or she produces sounds, syllables. or words
incorrectly so that listeners do not understand
what is being said or pay more attention to
the way the words sound than to what they
mean.
Is an articulation problem the same as
"baby talk"?
An articulation problem sometimes sounds
like baby talk because many very young
children do mispronounce sounds, syllables,
and words. But words that sound cute when
mispronounced by young children interfere
with the communication of older children or
adults. Older children and adults have so
many severe errors that their articulation
problems are very different from "baby talk."
What are some types of sound errors?
Most errors fall into one of three categoriesomissions, substitutions, or distortions. An
example of an omission is "at" for "hat" or
"oo" for "shoe." An example of a substitution
is the use of "w" for "r." which makes "rabbit"
sound like "wabbit," or the substitution of "th"
for "s" so that "sun" is pronounced "thun."
When the sound is said inaccurately, but
sounds something like the intended sound, it
is called a distortion.
LEARNING ABOUT…
To locate an audiologist
or speech-language pathologist
in Ontario, call the
Ontario Association of
Speech-Language Pathologists and
Audiologists (OSLA)
Tel: 416-920-3676 or
1-800-718-6752
or visit our website at
www.osla.on.ca
ARTICULATION
What causes an articulation problem?
Articulation problems may result from
physical handicaps, such as cerebral palsy,
cleft palate or hearing loss, or may be
related to other problems in the mouth,
such as dental problems. However, most
articulation problems occur in the absence
of any obvious physical disability. The
cause of these so-called functional
articulation problems may be faulty
learning of speech sounds.
Is an accent an articulation problem?
It can be for some persons. We all have
accents—Southern, Eastern, Northern,
Western, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, or
Boston. An accent may be a problem if it
interferes with a person's goals in life.
Can ear problems during infancy have any
effect on late sound development?
Children learn their speech sounds by
listening to the speech around them. This
learning begins very early in life. If children
have frequent ear problems during this
important listening period, they may fail to
learn some speech sounds.
Will a child outgrow a functional
articulation problem?
A child's overall speech pattern will usually
become more understandable as he or she
matures, but some children will need
direct training to eliminate all articulation
errors. The exact speech pattern of the
individual child will determine the answer
to this question.
Do children learn all sounds at once?
Sounds are learned in an orderly sequence.
Some sounds, such as "p," "m," and "b,"
are learned as early as 3 years of age. Other
sounds, like "s," "r,' and "l," often are not
completely mastered until the early school
years. At what age should a child be
producing all sounds correctly? Children
should make all the sounds of English by 8
years of age.
How can I help a child pronounce words
correctly?
By setting a good example. Don't interrupt
or constantly correct the child. Don't let
anyone tease or mock (including friends or
relatives). Instead, present a good model.
Use the misarticulated word correctly with
emphasis. If the child says, "That's a big
wabbit," you say "Yes, that is a big rabbit. A
big white rabbit. Would you like to have a
rabbit?"
Can an adult with an articulation problem
be helped?
As most articulation problems can be
helped regardless of a person's age, but the
longer the problem persists, the harder it is
to change. Some problems, such as those
relating to nerve impulses to the muscles of
articulation (dysarthria), are particularly
difficult and generally will require a longer
period of help than a functional disorder.
Other conditions that may influence
progress include hearing ability, condition
of the oral structures such as the teeth,
frequency of help obtained, motivation,
intelligence, and cooperation.
Who can help?
Contact a speech-language pathologist if
you are concerned about speech. A
speech-language pathologist is a
professional trained at the master's or
doctoral level to evaluate and help the
child or adult with an articulation problem
as well as other speech and/or language
disorders. The speech-language
pathologist should be certified by the
American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association and/or licensed by your state.
The speech-language pathologist can
advise whether professional help is
indicated and how to arrange for
assistance. The speech-language
pathologist can also give you guidance or
provide services to help prevent or
eliminate a problem. Early help is
especially important for more severe
problems.
Is it important to correct an
articulation problem?
When you consider the possible impact an
articulation problem may have on one's
social, emotional, educational, and/or
vocational status, the answer becomes
obvious. Our speech is an important part
of us. The quality of our lives is affected by
the adequacy of our speech.