What is speech sound disorder?

It’s normal for children to make speech sound errors as they learn to talk, especially in the first three years. Speech sound disorder (SSD) is where speech is not following typical development or difficulties persist longer than typically expected. There are many different types of SSD and it is important a full assessment is completed to make sure the right therapy approach is used. Some speech sound disorders can be linked to a physical cause but often there is no clear cause.

 

How we support children with speech sound disorders in therapy:

• Listening skills - developing attention and listening, which are vital for speech sound therapy

• Identifying the difference between sounds - being able to hear the difference between sounds e.g., loud vs quiet, long vs short, or which part of the mouth the sound comes from

• Articulation strategies - showing children how to position their tongue and lips to make sounds clearly

• Generalising sounds into their everyday speech - starting with single sounds, short words, phrases, sentences, and then everyday speech

• Using fun games to help motivation and perseverance

• Self-monitoring tools - supporting children to recognise when their speech isn’t clear and giving them strategies to repair their message

• Support for parents and schools - practical tips to help children carry over new skills and reduce frustration in their daily life

• Developing self-awareness - encouraging children to notice when they need to “fix”  their sounds using strategies learned so they can be better understood
  
   

All of our new children require an initial assessment prior to child-led therapy. This allows our therapist to identify your child's strengths, areas of interest and individual differences to ensure a high standard of care that is tailored to them.