Does your little one get stuck when pronouncing words? Let's learn about Phonological Disorder!

Have you ever noticed that your little one doesn't pronounce certain words correctly when they speak? Maybe they say one letter instead of another, or they say a word with the beginning or end of the letter omitted. It's normal for children to make these small mistakes when they're learning a language. However, for some children, these speech patterns may persist past the expected age (usually around 3 or 4 years old). Today, we're going to talk about one such situation.

What is this phonological disorder?

Simply put, a phonological disorder is a type of speech sound disorder. Children with this condition have difficulty organizing speech, that is, the sounds that make up the words we speak. Imagine that you have the letters (sounds) that make up words, but you have trouble putting them together to form a word.

Now you might be wondering, is this the same as some children pronouncing the letter "s" like the letter "th"? That's called an Articulation Disorder . It's when the child has difficulty using the mouth, tongue, and lips to produce the appropriate sound. However, in a Phonological Disorder, the child can produce sounds, but the problem comes when those sounds are put together, organized, and used to form words.

For example, the word "ball" is made up of the sounds "bo" and "le". A child with a phonological disorder may say "bobo" instead of "ball", or may say only "le".

Usually, young children make these kinds of mistakes when they are learning language. But by the age of 3 or 4, these mistakes will have largely disappeared. However, if a child has a phonological disorder, these incorrect speech patterns may continue even after that age.

Sometimes this condition can occur on its own. Or it can occur with learning disabilities like dyslexia . In fact, it is considered a major cause of dyslexia. However, this does not mean that everyone with phonological disorder will have dyslexia, nor does it mean that everyone with dyslexia has it.

The best part is that even severe cases of Phonological Disorder can be successfully treated by working with a Speech-Language Pathologist . Some mild cases may even get better on their own over time, usually around the age of 6.

This condition is also called "phonological processing disorders" and "phonological speech disorders."

What are the main types of phonological disorders?

There are two main types of this:

1. Consistent Phonological Disorder: In this, your child makes the same speech error over and over again. This means that we can anticipate the error in advance.

• For example, maybe he always uses the "da" sound instead of the "ga" sound (like "dedara" instead of "gedara").
• Or, the first consonant of a word is removed and pronounced (such as "at" when you say "cat", "ag" when you say "tag"). In Sinhala, "kaputa" is pronounced like "aputa".

2. Inconsistent phonological disorder: In this, the child pronounces the same word in a different way each time.

• For example, when trying to say the word "dog," you might say "palla" once, "nalla" another time, and "kalla" another time.

How common is this condition?

It is estimated that between 8% and 9% of young children in the United States have some form of speech sound disorder. This includes both Articulation Disorder and Phonological Disorder.

What are the symptoms of a phonological disorder?

This can vary from person to person. Children with phonological disorders have their own unique speech patterns.

Here are some of the common symptoms:

• Some consonants change their sounds. For example, "ka" is pronounced instead of "ta" (like "kopi" instead of "topi").
• Multisyllabic words, meaning words with many syllables, can be difficult to pronounce. Saying a word like "train" can be confusing.
• A consonant sound is dropped. For example, instead of "school", it is said "kola".
• Only one syllable of a two-syllable word is pronounced. Like "puwa" or "tuwa" instead of "putuwa".
• Repeating the same letter to simplify a word. Like "baba" instead of "baba". (This is normal at a very young age, but if it continues, you need to pay attention).

What are the causes of Phonological Disorder?

In fact, doctors still don't know exactly why some children develop the condition and others don't. They don't always find a clear cause. They believe it's likely a combination of genetic and environmental factors .

What are the risk factors?

Although the exact causes are not clear, there are some risk factors that may increase the chance that your child will develop a phonological disorder. These include:

• If anyone in the family has had speech sound disorders before.
• If there are developmental delays .
• If there are genetic variations that affect speech and language.
• Hearing loss , that is, if there is a hearing impairment.
• If you have neurological disorders .

What complications can occur if Phonological Disorder is left untreated?

If this condition is left untreated, some complications can occur. These include:

• Academic challenges arise.
• Decreased comprehension.
• Delayed language development.
• Difficulty communicating with others.
• Poor reading skills.
• Trouble forming sentences.

Just think, if this is not addressed at a young age, this child may have difficulty talking to friends, understanding what the teacher says, and reading books when they go to school. This can reduce their confidence and hinder their learning.

How to identify a phonological disorder?

To diagnose this, your child should be evaluated by a Speech-Language Pathologist . During this evaluation, the therapist may ask your child to do things like:

• Say some words.
• Read aloud.
• Repeat some phrases.

This speech test allows the doctor to rule out other conditions such as hearing loss, neurological conditions, or intellectual disability.

How is this treated?

Doctors use speech therapy to treat phonological disorders. A speech and language therapist will develop a treatment plan that is tailored to your child's specific needs.

The main goal of this therapy is to "unlearn" the sound patterns that the child learned incorrectly when learning language, and to teach the correct patterns. To do this, the therapist uses various activities related to listening and speaking. For example:

• Arts and crafts, such as drawing and coloring.
• Playing board games.
• Using flashcards.
• Hide-and-seek.
• A game like eating goats (Hopscotch).

All of this is done in a way that makes it fun for the child to learn and have fun.

What is the outlook for phonological disorders?

Phonological Disorder can be completely cured , especially for children who start speech therapy at an early age. However, the results depend on the severity of the condition and how early you start treatment.

Can this be prevented?

In some cases, there are things that can help prevent Phonological Disorder. Here are some tips:

• Have your child regularly checked for hearing loss . Sometimes even a slight hearing loss can affect the way they speak.
• Play games with your child that require listening and talking .
• Read books to your child every day . This will help him or her develop a better understanding of words and sound patterns.

Remember, speech disorders often occur for no apparent reason. If your child has a phonological disorder, it doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Sometimes they just happen.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have concerns about your child's speech and language development, talk to your pediatrician . Usually,

• If your child is 2 years old , you should understand about 50% of what he says.
• If your child is 4 years old , you should be able to understand most of what he or she says.

In particular, see a doctor if your child does any of the following:

• If you can't make some speech sounds even after 6 years .
• If he is embarrassed by his speaking challenges.
• Even after 7 years, it's okay to drop some speech sounds, or to replace one with another.

What questions should I ask my doctor?

It's normal to feel anxious when you learn that your child has a phonological disorder. Here are some questions you can ask the doctor:

• How severe is my child's speech disorder?
• What treatment options are available for my child?
• How long will my child need speech therapy?
• What symptoms should I look out for at home?
• What can I do with my child to help him?

You want your child to succeed in life and have good experiences. As a parent, learning that your child has a speech disorder can be a source of anxiety and fear. "How will he/she communicate with others?", "Will he/she be able to make friends?", "Will he/she be able to get along with other children?" These are all normal concerns. The best thing you can do is talk to your child's pediatrician. In many cases, children who start treatment early can learn to speak well and live a normal life.

Remember the most important thing (Take-Home Message)

• If your little one consistently stutters, shuffles letters, or omits letters when speaking, it could be a condition called Phonological Disorder.
• What happens in this case is that the child is unable to properly organize the sounds needed to form words.
• This condition can be cured if it is identified early and speech therapy is started.
• If you have any concerns, don't be shy or afraid to see your pediatrician for advice. He or she will refer you to a Speech-Language Pathologist.
• Talking to your child, playing with them, and reading books can greatly help your child's language development.

Don't panic if you find out your child has a small challenge like this. With the right guidance and love, you can overcome anything!

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