FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Parent:   My child is four years old.  I think she has a speech problem.  She has trouble saying words with the letter S (sun, see etc.)   How can I help my child to speak more clearly?

 

Mrs. Sibbald ( Speech-Language Specialist):  Generally children learn to say the "s" sound by the time they are eight years of age.  Sounds like your child's speech difficulty might be developmental.  You might listen to her talking informally and take note of what she is saying.  Is she able to say the /k/ sound (cat, cup etc.), the /g/ sound (go, gum etc.) or the /f/ sound (foot, fat etc.)?  The /k/, /g/ and /f/ sounds are sounds that a child can usually produce around the age of four years.  If your child is producing/saying these sounds she is generally on target for speech production.  If she is not able to produce/say these sounds you might speak to a speech-language specialist about your concerns and any other questions you might have.  Meanwhile, children are usually producing/saying the /s/ sound by eight years of age.  So, enjoy listening and speaking with your child each day!  Enjoy reading and talking about stories with your child on a regular basis.  Enjoy watching your child grow!