Functional Speech Disorders: What are they?
The web page "Functional speech disorders: What are they?"  provides brief, plain English information about the definition, characteristics, assessment and treatment of functional speech disorders in children and adults. Your questions about do-it-yourself assessment and therapy for children and adults are answered.

What does 'functional' mean?
The way this term is used by Speech-Language Pathologists is briefly explained.

Normal expectations and atypical production of /s/ and /z/
Typical speech development in children is a gradual process and many children go through a NORMAL stage of producing /s/ and /z/ with the tongue between the teeth. In the article "Normal expectations and typical production of /s/ and /z/" typical phonetic ("articulation") development is discussed, with particular reference to /s/ and /z/.

Lisping: when /s/ and /z/ are hard to say
This is the "original" article about lisping on this site and as well as describing the four types of lisp it includes links to related information for professionals and consumers.

What do the terms "lisp" and "lisping" mean?
Some individuals, including some speech-language pathologists, do not like the term lisp, perceiving it to carry a lot of baggage, and would prefer it not to be used in professional contexts. Specifically, people in the gay community may object to the term lisp, especially when it is used in a pejorative, disparaging or belittling  way. Some of these issues are briefly outlined in this article.

Letters to an SLP about lisping
I have been reading the information on your site and have finally gotten up the courage to write to you to ask your advice about a lisping problem. I am 33 years old...

SLPs talk about Lisping - Therapy for Children
Opinions vary with regard to how difficult or easy it is to help a child to overcome a lisp, and how long it will take. My own perception (this is about me if you are a first-time visitor to this site and you would like to know who is writing this!) is that the treatment of lisps in motivated young children is usually short-term and successful...

Imagery and the Butterfly Position
The client is encouraged to think of the tongue assuming the shape of a butterfly... 

Lateral /s/ Palatal /s/ - The Butterfly Procedure
Allow the child time to master each step before proceeding to the next. Slow and steady (usually) wins the race! 

What is the difference between an articulation disorder and a phonological disorder?
A simple explanation.

Speech and language development in infants and young children
Whether they speak early or late, are learning one language or more, are learning to talk along typical lines or are experiencing difficulties, the language acquisition of all children occurs gradually through interaction with people and the environment...Children's speech does not sound like adult speech because they make typical child-like "sound replacements"...

Normal speech development / Typical acquisition
Anyone who has been around children who are under 5 years of age will know that their speech sounds are not pronounced correctly all the time. In fact small children's speech can be quite difficult to understand because their sound system is not yet organised like adult speech...

Q&A: Phonological Disorders, Functional Speech Disorders, Apraxia, Dysarthria
In this article the key similarities and differences between typically developing speech, functional speech disorders, developmental phonological disorders and childhood apraxia of speech (DVD/DAS) are explained and discussed in a question and answer format.

Bear in mind that there is considerable individual variation between children. If you are in doubt about your own child's speech sound development an assessment by a speech-language pathologist will quickly tell you if your child is 'on track' and making the right combination of correct sounds and 'errors' for their age...

Developmental Phonological Disorders / Caroline Bowen
Developmental Phonological Disorders (also called "phonological disability" or "phonological disorders", etc) are a group of language disorders that affect children’s ability to develop easily understood speech by the time they are four years old, and, in some cases, their ability to learn to read and spell. Phonological disorders involve a difficulty in learning and organising all the sounds needed for clear speech, reading and spelling. They are disorders that tend to run in families...

Oral Motor Therapy: Exercises, Tools and Toys
There is no need for oral motor exercises (e.g., sucking and blowing exercises, drinking thick-shakes through straws, etc), oral motor tools (e.g., horns, straws, etc) or oral motor toys (e.g., toy whistles, trumpets, etc) in treating functional speech disorders, developmental phonological disorders or developmental apraxia of speech. 

Page updated 12 May 2009

http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/fsd-index.htm