Speech Impairment (SI)

SPEECH DEVELOPMENT

Is there a concern that a child does not have enough language to communicate with others?  Does a child speak, but no one understands what he or she says?

The handouts below can help determine if a child may have a speech impairment and indicate that a screening is needed.

ARTICULATION

These handouts can help a child who is struggling with specific sounds.

Language Delay 

Receptive/Expressive Language Delay - Receptive language (how well a child understands and remembers what is said) and/or expressive language (what the child is able to say and how it is said). 

Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder (SPD)  - Syntax, semantics, and pragmatics form the trifecta of skills for developing social language and communication. Before understanding how these skills relate to language disorders, specifically Semantic Pragmatic Disorder (SPD), one must first understand their meanings and how they work together.

Syntax refers to the order of words in phrases and sentences. When toddlers learn to speak, they may use incorrect syntax or word order. As children get older and enter school, the complexity of their sentences increases. Students, even in early grades, begin to understand the importance of word order and how it affects the meaning of a phrase, sentence, or passage. Students with strong reading and comprehension skills have a better grasp of grammar and syntax than students with communication or language disorders.

Semantics gives meaning to words in phrases or sentences. We listen to or read and comprehend the meanings of words in their particular arrangement. Young children make semantic errors in their speech. For instance, “Babies bottle like.” Even though the syntax (word order) of this phrase is incorrect, we understand its meaning because we know babies like bottles. However, a phrase like “Babies godlatle bieopraba” could possibly be correct in its syntax but is semantically incorrect because the last words cannot be interpreted. The use of syntax and semantics leads to our expression of language – or pragmatics.

Pragmatics refers to the expression of language. Autistic children or children with PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), etc., have difficulty expressing themselves, especially in social situations. They may express their thoughts and feelings openly and explicitly, with little or no consideration for others around them. Controlling the volume of voice may also be an issue.

Children diagnosed with “Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder” experience delays in language development and have difficulty with comprehension and expression. Check with your pediatrician or speech-language pathologist if you have questions regarding your child’s inability to express himself/herself or communicate effectively with you and others.

STUTTERING

OTHER SPEECH AND LANGUAGE CONCERNS

SPEECH AND THE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) LEARNER

Augmentative and Alternative Devices