Children’s Voices Matter in Speech Disorders

What is it about?

This study explored how young children with speech sound disorders (SSD) view their own speaking and communication, compared to children without such difficulties. Researchers also looked at how these self-perceptions relate to what parents think and how speech experts assess the child’s speech. Children with SSD saw their speech differently than others did, and their views didn’t strongly match their parents’ or experts’ opinions. This shows that children’s own voices matter—literally. To truly understand the impact of speech difficulties, it’s important to ask children how they feel about their own communication.

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Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash

Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study shows the importance of speaking directly with children about their speech and communication. Until now, parents have often been the ones to express how their child feels and experiences speech difficulties. However, the findings reveal that children’s own views don’t always match those of their parents. To truly understand the impact of speech sound disorders, it’s essential to include the child’s perspective.