The violation of sound pronunciation is called dyslalia. A child can rearrange sounds in syllables, change them to others. Often babies make replacements in such a way that it is more convenient and easier to pronounce the words. Dyslalia in children and methods for its elimination are determined by a speech therapist. This specialist can establish an accurate diagnosis and develop tactics for correcting this problem.
Reasons for the development of dyslalia
Violations can occur in children with problems in the development of the speech apparatus: jaws, tongue, lips, teeth. In this case, they speak of mechanical dyslalia. With the normal development of the vocal apparatus, a diagnosis of "functional dyslalia" is made.
Organic disorders occur in those children in whom:
- short frenum of the tongue and upper lip;
- excessively thick lips;
- defects in the structure of the sky (it may be too high or low);
- too large or, conversely, small language;
- malocclusion;
- inactive upper lip.
The causes of dyslalia in children may not be related to the structural features of the speech apparatus. In this case, a violation of sound pronunciation occurs due to:
- imitation of someone’s wrong dialect;
- pedagogical neglect;
- incorrect culture of speech in the family;
- inability to keep the tongue in the correct position;
- underdevelopment of phonemic hearing;
- quick language transitions from one movement to another.
Possible forms of violations
To understand how the disease manifests itself, it is necessary to understand what its forms exist. Depending on the number of problem sounds, dyslalia can be simple or complex. This determines the speech therapist. In the first case, the baby will not pronounce up to 5 sounds. With a complex form of dyslalia, there will be more than 5. A speech therapist can tell what parents need to do if dyslalia in children has been detected. Both methods for its elimination, and the definition of an approach to treatment should be discussed at the first meeting.
Depending on the nature of the defect, several subspecies of dyslalia are distinguished separately:
- Lambdacism: problems with the pronunciation of hard and soft "l";
- rotacism: the child incorrectly pronounces the hard and soft "p";
- sigmatism: violations of the pronunciation of hissing;
- kappacism: problems with hard and soft "k";
- jotacism: improper pronunciation of "y";
- Hitism: a violation in the pronunciation of "x";
- gammacism: problems with pronouncing "g";
- defects in softening and hardness of sounds: a child can replace solid consonants with paired soft ones and vice versa;
- defects of stunning and voicing: voiced consonants change to deaf and vice versa.
This is how dyslalia manifests itself in children. But do not be afraid of this diagnosis: with the correct work of parents and a speech therapist, speech disturbance can be corrected.
Forms of functional dyslalia
During the examination, the speech therapist determines the most pronounced signs of speech disorders. This allows you to coordinate the work of a speech therapist and make it more effective. Specialists distinguish the following types of functional dyslalia:
1) acoustic phonemic;
2) articulatory-phonetic;
3) articulatory-phonemic.
In the first case, poor development of speech hearing leads to problems. Because of this, sounds similar in acoustic characteristics are mixed. Sometimes the inferiority of their perception becomes the reason that the child misses them in speech.
Articulatory-phonetic dyslalia in preschool children occurs when the assimilation of articulation positions is incorrect. At the same time, the kids begin to distort the pronounced sounds.
With articulatory-phonemic dyslalia, the child does not learn the correct position of the tongue, which should be when pronouncing this or that sound. This leads to their confusion.
Here it is so different - dyslalia in children. And the methods for eliminating it, therefore, will also vary. Depending on the diagnosis, the speech therapist should develop tactics for working with the child.
Correction of various forms of speech disorders
If there is an incorrect pronunciation of sounds belonging to one group, for example, whistling, we are talking about simple violations. For their correction, 2-3 months of cooperation with a speech therapist is enough, sometimes the correction can last six months. But the complex dyslalia in children, which is characterized by a violation of the pronunciation of 5 or more groups of sounds, requires longer and painstaking work.
In most cases, with complex forms in children, the phonemic hearing is impaired. In the process of correction, difficulties arise not with the fact that it is necessary to “set” a large number of sounds, but so that the child begins to hear them correctly. It takes a lot of time. It is important that the child performs tasks not only with a speech therapist, but also with parents at home. Only with regular and systematic classes can speech be restored in a short time.
Correction of mechanical dyslalia
To correct sound pronunciation in children who have problems with the speech apparatus, it is necessary to eliminate the very cause of the development of pathology. If such is a too short frenulum of the tongue or upper lip, then it is enough just to cut it - and the child himself will begin to speak correctly.
Things are a little more complicated in cases where violations are caused by malocclusion. In this case, an orthodontist consultation is required. It can help correct bite with special equipment even at an early age. If this is not possible, then the hard work of a speech therapist begins. It should be aimed at obtaining the necessary acoustic effect in a child with these disorders.
Also, a speech therapist can help those children who have the wrong structure of the sky. Experts know how to direct the tongue of those who have a "Gothic", flat or slit-like upper arch in the mouth.
Child examination
Before starting classes, a speech therapist should examine the mobility of the child’s speech apparatus and find out from the mother about the course of pregnancy and childbirth. A variety of didactic materials allow you to identify existing defects and determine the degree of development of children. After such a study, a speech therapist can tell if there is dyslalia in children. “Symptoms” (clear speech impairment) are evaluated in conjunction with a phonemic perception test. Only then is a diagnosis made.
If the speech therapist does not notice mechanical irregularities, he will send the child to a specialist. It can be a surgeon, orthodontist or otolaryngologist. A speech therapist may recommend going to the last specialist if he suspects that the child is hearing impaired. With a functional form of pathology, it is advisable to visit a neurologist. He examines children with dyslalia to rule out general speech underdevelopment. Although a speech therapist can also make a preliminary diagnosis.
Stages of sound pronunciation correction
The teacher is developing a system for interacting with a baby who has been diagnosed with dyslalia. The work should be aimed not only at correcting sound pronunciation, but also at developing memory, attention, and phonemic hearing. The specialist also makes efforts for the development of speech motor skills. For these purposes, a special speech therapy massage is done. Also part of the lesson is allotted for gymnastics. It is mandatory if dyslalia in children has been diagnosed. Treatment (exercises help to develop the speech apparatus) consists in developing the correct pronunciation of sounds, their automation and development of the ability to auditory differentiation.
When setting sounds, work is simultaneously being done on their automation. To do this, they pronounce as part of individual syllables and words. For the correct setting use the method of imitation. If it does not give results, then a speech therapist using a special probe can help the child by pointing the language in the right direction.
The goals of speech therapy correction
The work of a specialist should be aimed both at correcting sound pronunciation, and at recognizing sounds, the ability to pronounce them correctly, and control your speech.
You need to know all the features of overcoming dyslalia in children, because without this it will not be possible to achieve a result. To organize the work of the “speech therapist - child” pair, favorable conditions must be created. The kid must trust the teacher, they must have emotional contact. For this, the speech therapist needs to take care of the organization of classes in an interesting form for the child. They should induce cognitive activity, prevent possible fatigue.
If this can be achieved, then the child will be able to:
- Learn to recognize different sounds and not mix them;
- distinguish the correct sound pronunciation from the wrong;
- control your own speech;
- easy to vary sounds in the speech stream;
- accurately determine the sound and highlight it in speech.
Prevention of dyslalia
If parents don’t want to look for materials on the topic “Dislagia in children and methods of eliminating it” in the future, they need to know in advance how to prevent the development of such a violation.
Prevention of the development of the mechanical form of the disease will be a regular examination by specialized doctors who can timely identify anatomical disorders of the development of speech organs.
It is also important to surround the child with people with the correct speech. Adults should not "lisp" with the baby, because this forms his stereotypes of communication. The child should have some role models. If one of the relatives has speech problems, then his role in raising a child should not be leading.