Impact of Speech Sound Disorders on Children's lives

Question 1

things to consider when assessing impact… (as a clinician)

Answer 1

• use child-friendly techniques (e.g., drawing, collage, play, film)
• respect child’s silence
• be aware of the disproportionate power between adults and children
• gain child’s (and parent’s) assent to participate
• adults and children do not always share the same world view (e.g., preschoolers with SSD attribute communication breakdown to listener and not unintelligible speech)

Question 2

Educational Impact

Answer 2

• literacy difficulties in 30-77% of children with SSD
• Difficulty with mathematically thinking at ages 6-9 years
• More likely to require remedial education & drop out of school
• more likely to complete vocational school than complete school
• less likely to attend university

Question 3

Social Impact

Answer 3

• difficulty making & maintaining friendships
• more instances of bullying
• lower self-esteem
• less enjoyment of school
• negative attitudes of children & adults towards children & adults w/ SSD
• Adults with an artic disorder receive lower ratings on speaking ability, intelligence education, & friendship
• Teachers believe that children with SSD have an increased risk for academic, social, and behavioral difficulties

Question 4

Occupational Impact

Answer 4

• Difficulty acquiring & keeping a job
• High rates of unemployment: 67.4% for those having difficulty speaking intelligibly, 75.6% for those being unable to speak intelligibly
• More likely to be in semi-skilled or unskilled jobs

Question 5

Risk Factors Associated with SSD (Structure/Function)

Answer 5

• otitis media
• 30-40% linked with perception difficulties/speech sound discrimination
• structural variations: tongue tie, cleft palate, etc.

Question 6

Risk Factors Associated with SSD (Hearing Mechanism)

Answer 6

• OME Otits Media with Effusion

- Speech Sound perception

Question 7

Risk Factors Associated with SSD (Motor Abilities)

Answer 7

• general motor skills & link to SSD
• individuals with SSD do not seem to have significant delay in general motor development (oral myofunctional disorders - tongue thrust)

Question 8

Risk Factors Associated with SSD (Cognitive/Linguistic factors)

Answer 8

• intelligence (not significant)
• academic performance, how speaking, reading, and writing all use symbols
• language development (syntax & morphology)
• phonological problems: more likely to have difficulty with reading

Question 9

Risk Factors Associated with SSD (Psycho-social Factors)

Answer 9

• Age: Children’s articulatory & phonological skills continue to improve until age 8
• Many speech sound errors self-correct without formal treatment
• hard to treat / self-correct after age 9
• family background, SES, income, etc.
• siblings score more poorly on phonology, etc.
• 39-46% have a reported family history of SSD