What are speech sound difficulties?
Many children say some sounds differently while they are learning to talk. For example, a child might say “tat” for “cat” or leave a sound off the end of a word.
Some speech sound patterns are part of typical development. Other patterns may continue for longer and make it harder for parents, educators, teachers or peers to understand what the child is saying.
Speech sound intervention can help children learn how to say sounds more clearly, use accurate sounds in words and build confidence when communicating with others.
Speech Moves provides evidence-based support for children with speech sound difficulties, unclear speech and related communication needs.
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If you have questions about your child’s speech sounds or want to know how Speech Therapy can support clearer communication, Speech Moves is happy to discuss the next step.
What might parents notice?
Parents may notice:
- Other people have difficulty understanding their child
- Their child substitutes one sound for another
- Their child leaves sounds off the beginning or end of words
- Their child becomes frustrated when they are not understood
- Their child avoids repeating themselves
- Family members understand the child better than unfamiliar listeners
- Speech sounds are affecting confidence or social interaction
As a general rule, by 2 and a half years, unfamiliar people should understand about 50% of what a child says. By 4 to 5 years, unfamiliar people should understand about 75% of what a child says.
What might teachers or educators notice?
Teachers and educators may notice that unclear speech affects:
- Peer communication
- Group participation
- Answering questions
- Joining in games
- Early literacy
- Phonics
- Spelling
- Confidence when speaking
Speech sounds are also strongly connected with early reading and spelling skills because children need to hear, recognise and use sounds in words.
Common speech sound errors
A child may:
- Substitute one sound for another
- Leave off the first sound in a word
- Leave off the final sound in a word
- Use only a small range of sounds
- Be difficult to understand in longer sentences
For example, a child might say:
“tat” for “cat”
“moo” for “moon”
“do” for “go”
“poon” for “spoon”
“red” for “wed”
These examples are signs that speech sound support may be worth discussing.
When does unclear speech become an issue?
Unclear speech may need support when:
- A child is often difficult for others to understand
- The child becomes frustrated because they cannot get their message across
- The child is using only a few speech sounds
- Speech sounds affect friendships or play
- Speech sounds affect early literacy skills
- Parents, teachers or educators are unsure whether the sound pattern is age-appropriate
Evidence supports seeking help when a child makes many speech sound errors and is difficult to understand, becomes frustrated when not understood, uses only a few speech sounds at 2 years, or does not pronounce words as expected for their age.
What can parents and educators do to support clearer speech?
Here are three simple strategies.
1. Model the correct pronunciation of words
If a child says, “I see a tat,” you might respond:
“Yes, a cat. The cat is sleeping.”
This gives the child a clear model of the correct production
2. Practise sounds during fun activities
Speech sound practice works best when it feels natural and playful. Use books, toys, matching games, picture cards or everyday routines.
A few minutes of focused practice can be easier than expecting a child to repeat words for a long time.
3. Praise all communication attempts
If a child is trying to communicate, respond to the message first.
For example:
“I know what you mean.”
“Great telling me.”
“Let’s try that word together.”
This helps keep communication positive while still supporting clearer speech.
Try to read to your child on a daily basis to stimulate their auditory perception of sounds.
Can speech sound difficulties affect reading and spelling?
Speech sounds are linked to early literacy skills because children need to hear and work with sounds in words when learning to read and spell.
School-age literacy involves phonics, phonological awareness skills, vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure and comprehension.
This means speech sound support may also help with skills connected to phonics, spelling and reading.
What does speech sound intervention involve?
Speech sound intervention at Speech Moves may include:
- Speech assessment
- Identifying which sounds or patterns need support
- Teaching correct sound production
- Play-based intervention
- Goal-focused activities
- Home practice activities
- Support for parents, teachers and educators
Therapy is designed to be practical, child-friendly and based on the child’s individual goals.
How can Speech Moves help?
Speech Moves supports children with speech, language and literacy development through goal-focused, evidence-based speech pathology.
Support may include:
- Speech sound intervention
- Language support
- Literacy-related support
- Mobile visits to schools, preschools or childcare settings
- Telehealth intervention
- Collaboration with families and education teams
Speech Moves incorporates a family-centred approach and works with the child’s wider support team where appropriate.
Where does Speech Moves provide speech therapy?
Speech Moves works with families, preschools, schools and childcare settings across the Newcastle and Port Stephens areas.
Key service areas include Stockton, Mayfield, Port Stephens, Raymond Terrace, Medowie, Salamander Bay, Nelson Bay and nearby communities.
Frequently asked questions
Will my child grow out of unclear speech?
Some speech sound patterns resolve as children grow. Others may need support, especially when speech is difficult to understand, the child becomes frustrated, or speech is affecting learning or social interaction.
Should I correct my child every time?
No. Constant correction can feel discouraging. A helpful approach is to model the correct word naturally and keep the conversation going.
Can educators model speech sounds?
Yes. Educators can repeat the correct word calmly, use clear speech and create opportunities for the child to hear and practise sounds during play, books and routines.
Can speech sounds affect literacy?
Yes. Speech sounds are strongly connected with phonics, reading and spelling because children need to understand how sounds work in words.
Does Speech Moves support schools and preschools?
Yes. Speech Moves partners with preschools and schools across Stockton, Port Stephens, Newcastle and nearby areas.
We support school and pre-school visits with our mobile speech therapy services.
Ask about speech sound support
If a child’s speech is hard to understand or speech sounds are affecting communication, Speech Moves can help identify whether support may be useful.
Contact Speech Moves to ask about speech sound therapy.
Tricia Linstrom
