Phonological Disorder symptoms are a group of speech errors that a child may display as they learn to speak. This includes a variety of errors and can range from not pronouncing words correctly to having trouble with the order of sounds in a word, making them hard for others to understand.
Errors in Articulation
Articulation disorders occur when children make a mistake when they say a specific sound, such as the r or l sounds. This can include making the sound wrong or not pronouncing it at all, such as saying ‘kite’ instead of ‘rabbit’.
If a child is having articulation disorders, their therapist may work with them on exercises to correct the error and help them improve their phonological skills as well. This can involve combining different articulation and phonological therapy methods to help them learn how to eliminate the problem.
The underlying cause of these disorders are often unknown, but they may be the result of a family history of speech and language disorders, hearing loss, developmental delays, genetic diseases or neurological problems.
Symptoms can vary from individual to individual, but they typically fall into two categories: inconsistent and repetitive.
Inconsistent phonological disorder means that a child has a tendency to mispronounce or misunderstand the same word different ways every time they try to say it. This is very common in toddlers and can lead to confusion or frustration with other kids who are struggling to understand what they are talking about.
Another phonological error that is fairly common in children is cluster reduction, where they leave out one or more sounds in the end of a word or syllable. For example, they might say ‘boken’ for ‘broken’ or ‘poon’ for’spoon’ but they can say ‘key’ and ‘go’ with no problem.
If a child keeps making the same phonological error over and over, they need to see a qualified speech pathologist so that they can get an accurate diagnosis. This will allow them to receive the best care possible and avoid having their phonological errors exacerbated as they grow older.
Fortunately, there are plenty of online learning platforms available to help with a range of phonological and articulation issues for both boys and girls. For example, SplashLearn has a great selection of ELA sessions for young children that will assist them in focusing on their pronunciations and improving their comprehension abilities.
A Phonological Disorder Symptom that Should End by Age 4
Most phonological errors should disappear by the age of 4. If you notice that your child is still having these problems, it may be best to discuss them with your pediatrician or a qualified speech therapist so they can determine the root cause and develop a plan for treatment.
Phonological disorders are not only difficult for kids to understand but can also cause them frustration as they struggle to keep up with their peers in school and social situations. This is where speech therapy and online learning can be beneficial for both the child and the teacher/parent.
