A speech disorder is a problem with articulation, language, fluency, or voice.Speech and language disorders affect approximately 10% of young children. An articulation disorder consists of problems pronouncing speech sounds, such as a child substituting "w" for "r" as in "wabbit" for "rabbit". A child may have several sounds that he/she misarticulates, or it may be only one. This disorder may affect the child's ability to learn to read, especially in the area of phonemic awareness (the sound system of our language).A language disorder can affect a child's comprehension or oral expression. A child may have difficulty with such things as following directions, memory, answering questions appropriately, making complete sentences, vocabulary, and grammar. Children who have problems in reading often have problems in language that affect the child's ability to learn to read. For example, a child who has a delayed vocabulary may have trouble comprehending a story or following the teacher's directions. Fluency disorders are disruptions in the flow of speech, often referred to as stuttering. A child who stutters may repeat sounds or words, such as "tu tu tu table", prolong sounds, such as "sssssssnake", or get stuck on a word where nothing comes out, such as "b--at". Children with fluency disorders often avoid answering questions in the classroom for fear of being laughed at by peers. Sometimes, they can read fluently, but have great difficulty with conversational speech.Voice disorders are less common and may affect the quality of a child's voice. The child's voice may sound consistently hoarse, nasal, or the child's pitch may be too high or too low. A child must initially be evaluated by an ear, nose, and throat physcian to determine the cause of the voice disorder.Children who are very talkative or who abuse their voices by screaming or yelling sometimes develop a voice disorder. If you suspect that your child has a speech disorder, you need to contact a Speech/Language Pathologist who will screen your child and decide if a comprehensive evaluation is necessary.
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