Articulation disorder, the most common speech communication problem, is identified in approximately 1 million preschool children each year. Research suggests that problems with articulation, if left unchecked, can lead to reading and spelling difficulties, social challenges, and self-esteem problems. The strongest resource a child with an articulation problem can have is a well-informed parent who knows which articulation behaviors are normal, which are not, and how best to guide his or her child through the process of speech therapy.
This book helps parents decide whether the sound errors their child is experiencing are developmental and within normal limits for their age. The book offers a range of strategies to employ when a child does need some extra help to work through a particular speech difficulty. The book also addresses the emotions parents deal with and devotes a chapter to signs and symptoms of other common communication problems that may co-exist.