SPEECH SOUND DISORDERS (SSD)
SSD's are errors in sounds of speech that are ongoing after a specific developmental age.
Errors in pronunciation are a typical development. However, by the age of 5, most speech sounds should be mastered. Speech Therapy can help children and adults increase their accuracy in production of sounds and words in communication when the errors continue after their designated expected age range.
TYPES OF SPEECH SOUND DISORDERS
CHILDHOOD APRAXIA OF SPEECH
This disorder occurs when the brain has trouble telling the mouth muscles what to do to make sounds. The child's muscles are not weak, yet the connection between the brain and the movement of muscles is diverted or inaccurate.
ARTICULATION DISORDER
Is a disorder characterized by errors in sounds of a specific language. For example when a child often changes the sound /r/ for /l/. This is a mispronunciation and/or substitution of the sound.
PHONOLOGICAL DISORDER
Are types of errors that are produced in a consistent pattern. For example, a person consistently changing sounds that are produced with airflow to a complete stop, called stopping, or always changing the sounds produced in the front of the mouth to the back of the mouth, called backing.
DYSARTHRIA
A motor speech disorder described by having weak muscles that are used to speak. Mostly identified by having "slow and/or slurred speak" and limited movement of facial muscles; typically occurring due to brain damage.
FLUENCY DISORDERS
These disorders disrupt the flow of speech. Stuttering has many types of disfluencies associated with it such as repeating words, blocking words, starting phrases over and over again, and use of interjections. With stuttering, most individuals are aware of the disfluencies they are presenting. While Cluttering, involves an exaggerated fast rate of speech in which individual's are not often aware of their disfluencies.