Phonological Disorders
Trusted Speech Therapy in Chicago IL
Effective Phonological Therapy for Children
Improving Pronunciation of Letters and Words.
Trouble pronouncing words? We can help.
You have been to other specialists because your child cannot pronounce letters and words correctly. There is nothing wrong with your child's oral motor skills...they are fine. However you keep noticing that your child still does not pronounce certain vowels or combinations of letters correctly. This could be a phonological disorder.
Phonological disorders are common in school age children. Up to five percent of children have a noticeable speech problem before they reach the first grade. Do not worry though. Speech disorders like phonological disorders are very treatable.
If you find that your child is having trouble making the right sounds for the right letters and syllables, contact me today. We can set up a teletherapy appointment for you and your child and get them on the right path. Don't wait because the earlier you start, the easier it is to treat speech problems.
How Do We Help with Receptive and Expressive Language Disorders and Delay? Read More Below.
PHONOLOGICAL THERAPY
How we help your child meet their phonological goals.
Here is the phonological therapy approach.
Phonological disorders are pattern-based speech sound errors (like saying “tat” for “cat” or dropping consonant clusters like “nake” for “snake”). I start by listening to your child in play and in simple tests to map which patterns are happening and how much they affect being understood. We’ll talk through what’s developmentally typical versus what needs treatment, then choose a few high-impact goals—targets that will make your child’s speech clearer across many words, not just one sound at a time.
Therapy focuses on teaching your child that sound contrasts change meaning. I use playful activities with minimal pairs (e.g., “key–tea,” “cat–tat”) so your child experiences the difference and learns to use the right pattern. Depending on the profile, I may use the Cycles Approach (rotate through priority patterns with brief, focused practice and “auditory bombardment”), Multiple/Maximal Oppositions (great when one sound is replacing many), or Core Vocabulary if errors are inconsistent. Sessions are short, active, and high-repetition with clear, child-friendly feedback; we move from syllables → words → short phrases → conversation, building accuracy and confidence at each step.
Carryover to real life is built in. I’ll give you 5–10 minutes of home practice (picture cards, quick listening games, or a few target words during routines like snack and bath) and coordinate with teachers so targets show up at school, too. We track progress each week and adjust goals as patterns resolve, and I keep an eye on related skills like hearing, attention, and early literacy (rhyming, sound awareness) since they support long-term success. You’ll always know what we’re practicing, why it matters, and how to help between sessions.
Learn more about communication skills and disorders at the ASHA website.
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