Condition guide
It is hard when other people cannot understand your child, and harder still when your child knows it. Unclear speech, sometimes called an articulation or speech sound difficulty, is one of the most common reasons children see a speech and language therapist. The good news is that it usually responds well to the right, targeted practice.
Young children are not expected to say every sound correctly straight away. As a rough guide, most of what a three year old says should be understandable to people outside the family, and by around five speech is usually clear. Some sounds, like r, s and th, settle later. If your child is harder to understand than other children their age, or gets frustrated at not being understood, it is worth checking.
A speech and language therapist works out which sounds your child finds hard, whether there is a pattern to it, and whether it is an articulation difficulty or part of a wider speech delay. That tells you what will actually help, rather than guessing or correcting sounds in a way that does not stick.
Sound work suits online sessions well. The therapist can model sounds clearly on screen, use interactive games for practice, and give you simple activities to do between sessions. For most speech sound needs, studies show online results comparable to in-person. Browse our resources for practice ideas at home.
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Sessions start from €65, and you see the exact price on each therapist’s profile before you book. Every session comes with an itemised receipt.
Many private health insurance plans reimburse part of the cost of speech and language therapy, and you may be able to claim tax relief on qualifying medical expenses through Revenue. Cover and eligibility vary, so check your policy and with Revenue.
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FAQ
As a rough guide, most of what a three year old says should be understandable to people outside the family, and speech is usually clear by around five. Some sounds settle later. If your child is harder to understand than peers, it is worth checking.
Sometimes, but speech sound difficulties often follow a pattern that is best worked out by a therapist, so the practice targets the right thing in the right order.
Yes. Sound work suits online sessions well, with clear on-screen modelling and interactive practice.
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