Assimilation Speech Sound Errors
Assimilation Speech Sound Errors
Assimilation patterns happen when a sound in a word changes to become more like another sound in the word. This change often occurs because one sound influences another nearby sound. These patterns are common in early in a child’s speech journey and usually help make words easier for children to say. Some of the most common error patterns are:
Age of Elimination
Age of elimination refers to the age when we expected most of the speech sound errors to have disappeared. Below is a table which shows when we typically see sound errors disappear from a child’s speech.
Assimilation patterns are a normal part of speech development as children learn to coordinate their speech movements. Most of these patterns naturally fade by 3-4 years of age.
Please note the above information is general in nature and is not intended as professional medical advice. Please seek an appointment with a registered speech-language pathologist if you are at all worried about your child's development.
References:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2022). Selected Phonological Processes. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/articulation-and-phonology/selected-phonological-processes/
Bowen, C. (2011). Table 2 - Phonological Processes. Www.speech-Language-Therapy.com. https://www.speech-language-therapy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30:table2&catid=11&Itemid=101
Bowen, C. (2011). Table 3 - Elimination of Phonological Processes. Speech-Language-Therapy.com. https://speech-language-therapy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31:table3&catid=11&Itemid=101
Suggested Resources
FREEBIE Stone Age Struggle: /b/ Sound
Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with dangerous dinos in a fun interactive game.
FREEBIE Shopping Trip: /b/ Sound
Practice your child’s /b/ sounds by competing to see who can fill their shopping basket first.
FREEBIE Monster Madness: /b/ Sound
Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with mad monsters in a fun interactive game.