SARTHAK HEARING CARE BLOG
My Child Says 'Tat' for 'Cat' — Is That an Articulation Problem or Something Else?
Parents are often told their child has a 'speech sound problem', but not all speech sound difficulties are the same underneath. Two different terms — articulation disorder and phonological disorder — describe different kinds of difficulty, and the distinction matters for how therapy is planned.
What Is an Articulation Disorder?
An articulation disorder is mainly about the physical production of specific sounds — for example, consistently struggling to produce a sound like 'r' or 's' correctly, even though the child understands which sound is intended.
What Is a Phonological Disorder?
A phonological disorder is more about patterns — a child may substitute, simplify or leave out certain groups of sounds in predictable ways across many words, which reflects how sound rules are being learned rather than a single sound being hard to produce physically.
Why the Difference Matters for Therapy
Because the underlying difficulty is different, therapy approaches can differ too — articulation therapy often focuses on correctly producing individual sounds, while phonological approaches often work on broader sound patterns across groups of words. An accurate assessment helps target therapy appropriately.
When to Get a Speech Assessment
If a child's speech is hard to understand for their age, involves many sound errors, or a teacher or relative has flagged it, Sarthak Nehra, BASLP, can carry out an assessment to clarify what is actually happening before starting therapy.
Book an Assessment
To understand whether your child's speech sound difficulty is articulation-based, phonological, or a mix of both, contact Sarthak Hearing Care for a speech and language assessment. Call: 9625554548 / 9891242568
RELATED SARTHAK HEARING CARE PAGES
Continue with the most relevant next step.
ANSWERS FOR PATIENTS & FAMILIES
My Child Says 'Tat' for 'Cat' — Is That an Articulation Problem or Something Else? FAQs
Is a phonological disorder more serious than an articulation disorder?
Not necessarily more serious — they are simply different kinds of speech sound difficulty, and both are addressed through appropriate speech therapy.
Can a child have both articulation and phonological difficulties?
Yes, some children show a mix of both patterns. An assessment helps clarify what is contributing to the overall speech difficulty.
At what age should I be concerned about speech sound errors?
Some sound errors are typical at younger ages and resolve naturally. If errors persist beyond the expected age range or speech is hard to understand, an assessment is worth considering.