What is
articulation?
A. 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.
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What is an
articulation problem?
A. 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.
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Is an articulation problem the
same as "baby talk''?
A. 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." Contact us for more information.
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What are some types of sound
errors?
A. Most errors fall
into one of three categories: omissions, 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.
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What causes an
articulation problem?
A. Articulation
problems may result from physical causes, 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.
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Is an accent an articulation
problem?
A. 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. Contact us for more information.
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Can ear problems during infancy
have any effect on late sound development?
A. 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.
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Will a child
outgrow a functional articulation problem?
A. 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.
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Do children learn all sounds at
once?
A. 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 "I," often are not completely mastered until the early school
years. Contact us for more information.
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At what age should a child be
producing all sounds correctly?
A. Children should
make all the sounds of English by 8 years of age. Most sounds are mastered by age 4.
Exceptions are R, S, Th and L. Many children learn these sounds much earlier.
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How can I help a child
pronounce words correctly?
A. 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?"
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Can an adult with an
articulation problem be helped?
A. 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 in a child or adult include hearing ability, condition of the oral
structures such as the teeth, frequency of help obtained, motivation, intelligence, and
cooperation. Contact us for more information.
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Who can help?
A. 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 the State of New Jersey. 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.
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Is it important to correct
an articulation problem?
A. 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.
Contact us for more information.
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