Articulation & Phonological Disorders

What are articulation or phonological disorders?

Some children have difficulty saying speech sounds clearly. This can make it hard for others to understand them.

There are two common types of speech sound difficulties:

Articulation disorders: A child has trouble making a specific sound.

Examples:

• saying “wabbit” instead of “rabbit”
• saying “thun” instead of “sun”
• saying “fum” instead of “thumb”

Phonological disorders: A child uses patterns that simplify speech.

Examples:

• leaving off the last sound: “ca” for “cat”
• replacing sounds: “tat” for “cat”
• saying “pane” instead of “plane”

These patterns are common in young children, but if they continue past the expected age, speech-language therapy can help.

Sometimes speech sound difficulties may look similar to childhood apraxia of speech, which involves a different underlying cause. A speech-language pathologist can help determine what is happening and recommend the right approach.

When do children develop speech sounds?

Children develop speech sounds at different rates, but there are general age expectations. If your child is not using certain sounds by these ages, it may be worth seeking an assessment:

• By age 2: p, b, m, d, n, h, w
• By age 3: t, k, g, f, s, y
• By age 4: v, sh, ch, j, z, l
• By age 5: r, th, blends (e.g., “tr,” “sl,” “spr”)

Every child develops differently. These are general guidelines, not strict deadlines.

How speech-language therapy helps

At West End Speech, we help children:

• learn how to make sounds correctly
• learn when to use sounds in words
• improve speech clarity
• become easier to understand at home and school

Speech sound difficulties can also affect reading and spelling. Children who struggle to hear or produce certain sounds may have trouble connecting sounds to letters, which is a key skill for literacy.

Our approach

Therapy is planned around each child’s specific difficulties. Depending on the type and severity of the speech sound disorder, we may use:

For articulation disorders

• direct instruction on how to position the tongue, lips, and jaw
• visual, auditory, and tactile cues to support sound production
• practice moving from sounds in isolation to words, sentences, and conversation

For phonological disorders

• activities targeting the patterns affecting your child’s speech, such as final consonant deletion or cluster reduction
• minimal pair therapy, where your child practices words that differ by one sound (e.g., “tea” vs. “key”) to build awareness of how sound changes affect meaning
• cycles-based approaches for children with multiple patterns

For all children, therapy is play-based and interactive, using games, books, and activities that keep your child engaged.

What to expect

Assessment

Therapy begins with an assessment, where we listen to your child’s speech, identify which sounds or patterns are affected, and determine how well they are understood by others. We also consider your child’s age, language development, and communication needs.

Therapy sessions

Sessions are typically 30–45 minutes and may include:

• structured practice of target sounds
• games and play activities that create opportunities for practice
• home practice activities so your child can continue building skills between sessions

Parent involvement

We work closely with parents and caregivers throughout the process. You will learn strategies to support your child’s speech development at home and at school.

How to get started

If you’re concerned about your child’s speech clarity, contact us to book an assessment. We see kids online across BC and in-home around Vancouver, in English and French.