Has your young one started to talk yet? If they have but are struggling to form their words properly, they may need speech therapy for toddlers. There are several different types of speech disorders that can affect young children, and these often require assistance from a speech pathologist to determine the type of disorder and create a treatment plan.

5 Types of Speech Disorders

1. Childhood Apraxia Of Speech (CAS)

Sometimes called verbal dyspraxia or developmental apraxia, CAS is a speech disorder in which the brain and facial muscles don’t work together. Typically kids with CAS know what they want to say, but their brain can’t transmit that message correctly. In children younger than 3, you may notice they don’t babble, stick to just a few words or sounds, and even says the same word different ways. 

2. Dysarthria

Dysarthria is a disorder caused by weak facial muscles, which can make it difficult to speak. The condition usually results from some type of brain damage, and toddlers with dysarthria may have speech that sounds slurred or mumbled, talk too slowly or quickly, struggle to move their tongue and other muscles, or sound robotic. A pathologist in speech therapy for toddlers can create a customized treatment plan based on the symptoms your child exhibits.

3. Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD)

Also called tongue thrust, OMD affects more than speech. It may also affect your toddler’s ability to eat and drink. In addition, it may affect the development of their teeth. Children with OMD may stick their tongue out as they chew or push food out of their mouths with it. They may also struggle to drink from a straw. Additionally, they may have trouble with certain sounds. To treat OMD, you may need to seek treatment from a speech pathologist as well as your pediatrician or dentist.

4. Speech Sound Disorders

Most children learn and can say all the sounds in the English language by the time they’re 8 years old. By 3 months of age, babies should begin cooing, and by 5 months they should laugh and make playful sounds. At 6 months, babies should begin babbling, and within a year, those babbles should become longer. At 3 years, kids should have a grasp of sounds in words, and by 4, they should also be able to say words with “y” and “v”. If your child seems delayed in their speech, talking with a speech pathologist can help.

5. Stuttering

Stuttering is one of the more well-known speech disorders. It usually begins in childhood and can last into adulthood without intervention. There are a couple of different types of stuttering. Some may repeat a sound or part of a word, while others may interject their sentences with “um” and similar sounds. Speech therapy for toddlers can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of stuttering so kids can learn to communicate confidently and effectively.

If your child has exhibited symptoms of any of the above speech disorders, turn to Sounds of Success: Preschool and Learning Center in Aiea, HI. They’re the only daycare and preschool in the area that offers speech therapy for toddlers in addition to their child care services. Call them today at (808) 488-2211 to discuss enrollment, or visit their website for more information.