Articulation Disorder

Seeing a specialist is helpful when a person, especially in childhood, has persistent difficulty pronouncing speech sounds correctly: this is called an articulation deficiency or articulation disorder.

What it is: It is an alteration in the way sounds are produced or combined when speaking, which can make the message hard to understand for those listening.

Common signs:

• Substitution, omission, or distortion of certain sounds
• Speech that is unclear for the expected age
• Frustration when trying to communicate

Whom to see for evaluation? The speech-language pathologist is the professional who evaluates and supports these language difficulties, with help from the pediatrician and, when needed, the psychologist. If the difficulty articulating persists over time, it's advisable to seek a professional evaluation that provides clarity.