Characteristics of Children with Speech Disorders Seen in a Child Guidance Center

Abstract

A child guidance clinic caseload was examined to determine the prevalence of children with speech disorders. The clinical descriptions of the children with speech defects were compared with the descriptions of the remainder of the group. Children with different types of speech problem were also compared with each other. Of the 292 cases, 45 (15%) exhibited defective speech, including 27% articulation problems, 24% delayed speech, 20% stuttering, 29% combined disorders. The children with speech defects were somewhat younger than the other children. Soiling, thumbsucking, and wetting were seen more frequently in the speech defective group, and these children were reported to fight less with their parents. On all the other factors, the two groups were similar. Different patterns of symptoms were found in the speech defective subgroups. The children with articulation problems resembled the nonspeech defective group most closely. The children with delayed speech resembled them least closely.