Articulation refers to any speech disorder which can be defined by distortion, substitution, omission, or any addition of phonemes. Sometimes children find it difficult to utter certain sounds. He or she may alter certain sounds due to the course of their speech. In most of the cases, the children outgrow these issues with the advancement of time. But, if it persists for a longer time, then it can be an articulation problem. There are many reasons working behind articulation problem in children such as weak muscles, less control over the tongue, problems in respiratory system or any kind of speech immaturity. Sometimes adults also suffer from articulation due to hearing loss, brain injury, dyslexia, intellectual disability etc.

Articulation disorder involves some major issues that can lead to some phonemes, known as “misarticulation”. The most common misarticulations (related to sound) include additions, omissions, distortions, and substitutions etc. Misarticulation therapy has been designed to make coordination between articulators like lips, cheeks, jaw, palate, and tongue.

It is very important to identify the disorder at the right time; otherwise, your child would be a victim of constant bullying, labeling, teasing, exclusion, and frustration. These are the worst experiences that can make the children lack in self-confidence. As an outcome, they can become suspicious of their own abilities. It can also lead the children to severe morale breakdown. Many treatments are available to treat misarticulation; misarticulation therapy is one of the most-effective treatments for the articulation problems.

The speech therapists diagnose the issue and explain the exact place and manners of articulation that is affecting the use of sounds. They work on the auditory process of those particular sounds. For instance, your child should be shown how to make( Produce) the right sound, especially when the sound is visible like I, ch, s, j etc. Besides the misarticulation therapy, constant support from parents and the entire family is required by the child.

It is obvious that you should consult a doctor(Speech Therapist) if misarticulation issues of your child persist even after crossing eight years. Along with misarticulation therapy, parents can try these tricks to help their children overcome articulation issues: