Speech Sound Disorder Support for Children
If other people have trouble understanding your child, you are right to look into it. ETLC provides speech sound disorder therapy for children in the Des Moines area and Iowa City area, in person at our Johnston and North Liberty, IA, offices or virtually, guiding children and families toward clearer, more confident speech.
What Is A Speech Sound Disorder?
A speech sound disorder is difficulty producing the sounds of speech correctly, which can make a child hard to understand. It includes errors in individual sounds, patterns of errors across groups of sounds, and difficulty planning the movements needed for speech.
Children learn sounds in a general order, so we expect some errors at young ages. When errors continue past the age when most children have mastered a sound, a speech and language evaluation can help determine whether therapy would help.
What Are Examples of Speech Sound Disorders?
Articulation Disorder
An articulation disorder focuses on errors in the production of individual speech sounds.
Examples:
A "lisp" due to a child having their tongue between their teeth when making a /s/ sound ('thoup' for "soup")
Inability to produce sounds (saying "weef" for "leaf) because the child has difficulties lifting their tongue
Phonological Disorder
A phonological disorder occurs when a child uses patterns of sound errors. These error patterns are usually predictable, rule-based errors that affect more than one sound. Children simplify complex words with phonological processes.
Example:
If a child makes errors with a group of sounds, such as fricatives, or sounds where lots of air comes out of the mouth (e.g., /s, z, f, v/). The child’s error pattern will be similar. The child may stop the airflow (e.g., "toup" for "soup" or "pox" for "box")
Childhood Apraxia Of Speech
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurological speech disorder. Children with CAS have trouble planning the precise, consistent movements speech requires. Apraxia of speech causes delayed and irregular speech development.
Children with CAS might:
Say the same word a different way each time
Say short words more clearly than longer words
Avoid talking due to difficulties with production
How Can Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center Help?
We utilize evidence-based therapy approaches for speech sound disorders based on each child's specific needs. We provide direct skill-building instruction to help improve sound errors with immediate feedback and opportunities for repetition and practice. Therapists at ETLC have extensive speech production knowledge, phonologically based strategies, and specific training on motor-based approaches.
Why Choose ETLC?
What Families Are Saying
"Our son has had an amazing experience at speech therapy! At first, he struggled to even want to go back to the office and work through the activities. He is now the loudest kid in the building and will solo walk to his session without anyone's assistance. He's even gotten praise outside of speech for how well he can use his words and how clearly he communicates what he wants to say. We're so thrilled at his progress and so proud of how hard he works both at his sessions and at home. We're thankful for Erin and all the staff for working with our son to help him grow into the little chatterbox he's worked so hard to become!"
"We are SO very proud of our son's growth in his speech. A year ago he was very difficult to understand and was very frustrated when communicating with peers at school and non-family members. He is now a chatter box, participating in class, making friends and telling stories to anyone and everyone who will listen. We know he could not have made the leaps and bounds of progress that he has without the amazing support from Ms. Kaylie! We are grateful for the relationship she has built with him and he absolutely loves coming to visit her at Enrichment Therapy. He talks about their games they play together and all the fun crafts and activities he gets to do. Thank you times a million for loving and welcoming our sweet boy!"
"My daughter's pronunciation and enunciation have improved dramatically since starting with Enrichment Therapy. She loves her time with Miss Mallory and looks forward to going to speech each week. To be understood with greater accuracy by not only strangers, but her family and peers as well, has made such a difference in her overall well being. She is able to express herself to others more easily, without getting frustrated as often."
"We've seen so much growth in our daughter since starting at Enrichment Therapy. Her speech continues to improve, and she absolutely loves working with Kaylie. Kaylie has a wonderful way of making speech therapy both fun and incredibly effective!"
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How Do I Get Started?
1. Start The Conversation
The first step is to reach out if you have a concern. We start with a conversation to learn about your child, answer your questions, and help guide your family toward the best next step, whether that is a screening, consultation, or evaluation.
2. Schedule A Consultation
Once scheduled, families complete an online intake so our team can tailor the evaluation to your concerns. After the evaluation, we meet with you to review the results and recommendations and answer your questions.
3. Receive An Individualized Plan
Your child receives a custom treatment plan with specific, measurable goals based on their unique needs. Depending on the provider, your insurance may cover our services. If it does not, we are transparent about cost.
4. Build Skills & Confidence
Through personalized one-on-one sessions, we help your child build skills and confidence. The length of treatment depends on your child's age, challenges, and progress, and we adjust the plan as your child grows.
How Do I Get Started?
Can I just work on speech at home?
Home practice matters, but a speech-language pathologist first finds which sounds or skills are underneath the difficulty, then teaches the steps in order. Practice at home then reinforces what your child is learning in sessions. Many parents tell us practice feels easier once they know exactly what to do.
Is it normal for a two-year-old to not talk much?
It can be normal for some 2-year-olds to talk less than others, but we do expect them to be using words and starting to combine them. By age 2, most children have around 50 words and are beginning to use two-word phrases like “more milk” or “mommy go.” If your child is missing these milestones, an evaluation now is easier than waiting.
What happens during a speech therapy evaluation?
A speech therapy evaluation is a play-based assessment where we look at how your child communicates. We observe their speech sounds, understanding of language, and how they use words to interact. It’s designed to be engaging and helps us determine if support is needed. Afterward, we explain what we found and build a plan for your child.
Is my child just being lazy or shy about talking?
Usually not. Speaking depends on foundational skills, like hearing the difference between sounds and coordinating the mouth to make them. When those skills are still developing, talking is hard work, which can look like shyness or giving up. Therapy builds those skills so speaking feels easier and confidence follows.
Does insurance cover speech therapy?
Speech therapy is often covered by insurance, but coverage depends on your specific plan. Many plans will cover therapy if it is considered medically necessary, though there may be limits or requirements. At Enrichment, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield, and we can help you understand your benefits — though we always recommend checking with your insurance provider directly to confirm your specific coverage as well.
Ready to Help Your Child Thrive?
You saw something, and you are acting early. That matters. Reach out today, and our speech-language pathologists and learning specialists in Johnston and North Liberty, IA, will guide you to the right next step, with virtual services also available.