Articulation disorder; Developmental articulation disorder; Speech distortion; Sound distortion

Milder forms of this disorder may disappear on their own by around age 6.

Speech therapy may be helpful for more severe symptoms or speech problems that do not get better. Therapy may help the child create the sound, for example by showing where to place the tongue or how to form the lips when making a sound.

The outcome depends on the age at which the disorder started, and how severe it is. Many children eventually develop almost normal speech.

In severe cases, the child may have problems being understood even by family members. In milder forms, the child may have difficulty being understood by people outside the immediate family. Problems with social interaction and academic performance may occur as a result.

Call your health care provider if your child is:

• Still difficult to understand by age 4
• Still unable to make certain sounds by age 6
• Leaving out, changing, or substituting certain sounds at age 7
• Having speech problems that are making him or her worried or embarrassed at any age

Review Date: 05/13/2010
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)