Spoken words are made up of a pattern of sounds. Phonological disorder is when a person can produce the sounds correctly but gets the pattern mixed up. When children learn to talk, it is common to hear them simplify their speech or mix up the pattern as they develop the coordination and strength needed for speech. When it lasts beyond the expected age it should disappear, treatment is recommended.
There are a variety of different phonological disorders, which include:
Researchers do not know what the cause for phonological disorders are. However, risk factors include:
Speech pathologists can assess, identify phonological errors, and plan treatment with your child and family, which may include exercises to do at home.
Assessing your child’s speech may include:
Treatment is important, as phonological disorders are unlikely to resolve on its own. It has also been linked to difficulties with language and literacy. (Walquist et al., 2024). Speech pathologists will create a personalised program for your child, which may include:
A phonological disorder is different to articulation disorder, where a person has difficulty moving their mouth parts for speech correctly to make the right sound.
If your child’s speech isn’t improving in line with typical milestones, seek an assessment as soon as possible — early intervention leads to better outcomes. Signs to watch for include:
No, a lisp and a phonological disorder are different. A lisp is an articulation disorder affecting specific sounds like S or Z. Phonological disorder involves errors in sound patterns across words, not difficulty physically producing a single sound.
Yes, phonological disorders have been linked to difficulties with language and literacy. This is why early treatment is recommended rather than waiting. Research shows that untreated speech sound difficulties can become risk factors for reading challenges later in school.
Treatment length varies for every child depending on:
Your speech pathologist will give you a clearer timeline after your child’s initial assessment.
If you’re concerned about your child’s speech development, our pediatric speech pathologists are here to help. Submit a quick interest form and a member of the NAPA Center team will be in touch to learn about your child and help find the right program for your family.
Is your child starting school soon? Our School Readiness Program helps children build the communication and language foundations they need to thrive in the classroom, including support for children with phonological disorders.
For children who need focused, accelerated progress, our Intensive Speech Therapy Program delivers concentrated therapy over a short period to help your child make meaningful gains quickly.
Our weekly Speech Therapy sessions provide regular support to help your child develop their speech sounds steadily over time, with strategies to practise at home between sessions.
