Speech disorders can make it hard to communicate. Someone may have trouble with:
Sometimes kids with speech disorders have oral–motor problems. This means the muscles used to create speech aren’t working properly. Speech disorders also can be related to conditions like a developmental delay, autism, a hearing disorder, weak muscles around the mouth, cleft lip or palate, hoarseness, and breathing or swallowing disorders.
Treatment for a speech problems focuses on speech-language therapy to improve skills. The sooner therapy begins, the better.
Students with speech disorders may benefit from individualized education programs (IEPs) or 504 education plans. Many kids see a speech-language pathologist during the school day. Therapy may be one or more times a week, depending on the severity of the problem.
Kids with speech problems can feel stressed and anxious, which can make it even harder to talk and express themselves. A student may speak slowly in class and should be given plenty of time to express thoughts. It’s not helpful to interrupt or complete a sentence for the student, and might embarrass them.
To support students in your classroom:
By addressing special needs and offering support when needed, you can help students with a speech disorder learn as best as possible.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date Reviewed: Mar 10, 2021
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