Children with speech sound disorders may say some sounds incorrectly as they learn to talk. They learn some sounds earlier, like p, m, or w. Other sounds, like z, v, or th, take longer to learn. A child who does not say sounds by the expected acquisition ages for a specific sound may have a speech sound disorder. You may hear the terms "articulation disorder" and "phonological disorder" to describe speech sound disorders like this.Your child may substitute one sound for another, leave sounds out, add sounds, or change a sound. It can be challenging for others to understand them. It is normal for young children to say the wrong sounds sometimes. For example, your child may make a "w" sound for an "r" and say "wabbit" for "rabbit." They may leave sounds out of words, such as "nana" for "banana." This is okay when they are young. It may be a problem if they keep making these mistakes as they get older. You and your child may also sound different because you have an accent or dialect. This is not a speech sound disorder.
