Speech Therapy for Speech Sound Disorder
We love to work with children who are having difficulties with their speech sounds. We use a wide range of therapy interventions to help children catch up to their peers and give them the confidence to communicate and learn.
What is speech sound disorder?
Speech sound disorder is when someone struggles to form or use sounds correctly in speech.
Sometimes we know why a child has unclear speech, as the cause is organic. Most often we do not know why - the cause is function. Most children we see have:
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difficulties with articulation: they struggle to make the correct movement to produce the sound
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difficulties with phonology: they struggle to use the sound correctly in words
Some children are only affected by one of these. Others struggle with both articulation and phonology.
Speech sound disorders are relatively common. 12 in 100 children will have speech sound disorders, with 50% of these experiencing language difficulties.
At Hope Therapies, we are experienced in working with articulation and phonology disorders ranging from mild to severe. We also have therapists who specialise in childhood apraxia of speech.
How do I know my child has a speech sound disorder?
In the English language, most sounds are established by the age of 3. Some come later however, with a complete sound system developed by the age of 7. All children should be able to be understood in everyday situations when they start reception.
Before the age of 5, there are predictable errors that we expect children to make:
Children use lots of different phonological patterns in their speech during normal development. Here you can see a chart showing some of the patterns and when they tend to not be used anymore.
If a child is making unusual errors, or the predictable errors they make extend past the expected age, that is a sign that your child has a speech sound disorder.
How do you assess my child's speech?
We use a broad range of measures to assess your child’s speech. The therapist completes the assessment and then spends time analysing the results of the assessment and creating a plan for your child. This produces a very in-depth picture of your child’s speech and a clear recommendation for the next steps.
Our assessment includes things like:
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A full case history to help us understand your child’s development and their home life.
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Single word testing
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Connected speech testing
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Stimulability testing: finding out which sounds your child can make
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Speech perception testing: finding out how well your child is hearing other people’s speech
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Where appropriate, we will do a language assessment test as well.
The time taken on the assessment depends on the complexity of your child’s speech sound disorder. We can also adapt the assessment for children who cannot manage a formal assessment, using speech samples from play or recordings from home.
How does therapy work?
There are three stages to speech sound disorder therapy.
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We establish a stable production of the target sounds.
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We generalise the use of the sound, using it in words, phrases and sentences.
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We maintain the correct formation of the sound, teaching the child to use self-monitoring and self-correcting skills.
Our therapists use a range of approaches in therapy, shaped to the needs and age of the child. Through the assessment, the therapist will have identified the best approaches and will use these different approaches as necessary during therapy.
Therapy sessions involve lots of listening activities and speech practice. We use games and toys to make this fun and engaging, especially for younger children.
After each therapy session, the therapist will set homework for the child to work on at school and at home. The homework practises what the child has been doing in therapy, helping the skills they’re learning to become a consistent part of their speech. Little and often is the best approach to practising. We recommend 3 minutes twice a day, every day.
Our sessions are usually 30-minute sessions with adult-led activities. However, sometimes it is appropriate to use a less structured approach over longer 60-minute sessions. This is particularly helpful for children under 3, children with very severe speech sound disorder, or children who are reluctant to engage in therapy.
I’m worried my child has a speech sound disorder - what should I do?
Firstly, try not to panic. Check some of the developmental norms on this page - chances are your child is developing their speech sounds as expected but perhaps a little behind their friends. If there are some errors in their speech try not to make a big deal of it or ask them to repeat words. The absolute best thing to do is to repeat the word back to them using the correct sounds - with no expectation of them saying it themselves.
Secondly, consider contacting us for a speech assessment. Once we have met you and your child for an assessment we will be able to let you know exactly what we think is happening and whether we would recommend therapy. If we feel therapy would be helpful we can suggest the number of sessions and the frequency.
How many therapy sessions will my child need?
The number and frequency of therapy sessions varies depending on the severity of your child’s speech sound disorder. After assessment, the therapist will be able to make a recommendation about the best plan for your child.
My child is seeing (or is on the waiting list for) an NHS speech therapist. Can you still see them?
Of course! We are always happy to work closely with our NHS colleagues to get the best outcome for your child.
My child also has autism. Can you still see them?
Absolutely. As a team we are very experienced in working with neurodiversity including autism and ADHD. You may have a diagnosis, be waiting for an assessment or just suspect that your child is neurodivergent.
Whatever stage you’re at, we’d be happy to work with you and your child. You may find it helpful to read about our approach to autism.
