Phonetics and Phonology in Language Disorders: Speech Impairments and Language-Based Learning Disabilities

Phonetics is the study of speech sounds, including their production, perception, and representation.

Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language, including the rules that govern how sounds are combined and pronounced.

A speech impairment is a difficulty in producing, understanding, or both producing and understanding speech sounds.

A language-based learning disability is a difficulty in reading, writing, or both reading and writing.

Articulation disorder is the most common type of speech impairment, affecting approximately 5% of children.

Dyslexia is the most common type of language-based learning disability, affecting approximately 10% of children.

Signs and symptoms of an articulation disorder can include difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, substituting one sound for another, and omitting sounds from words.

Signs and symptoms of a phonological disorder can include difficulty understanding speech, difficulty producing speech, and difficulty with rhyming.

Signs and symptoms of apraxia of speech can include difficulty planning and coordinating speech movements, difficulty producing speech sounds accurately, and difficulty with prosody.

Signs and symptoms of dysarthria can include slurred speech, hoarse voice, and difficulty swallowing.

Signs and symptoms of dyslexia can include difficulty reading words accurately, difficulty understanding what they read, and difficulty spelling words.

Signs and symptoms of dysgraphia can include difficulty writing words legibly, difficulty spelling words, and difficulty organizing thoughts on paper.

Signs and symptoms of dyscalculia can include difficulty understanding numbers, difficulty performing basic math operations, and difficulty solving word problems.

Signs and symptoms of dyspraxia can include difficulty with fine motor skills, difficulty with gross motor skills, and difficulty with coordination.

Speech impairments and language-based learning disabilities are diagnosed through a comprehensive evaluation by a speech-language pathologist.