Impact of the speech sound disorders: family and child perception

ABSTRACT Objective: to verify both the family’s and the children’s perception of the impact of the phonological type of speech sound disorders. Methods: this is an exploratory qualitative-quantitative prospective research of a Speech-Language Pathology Service of a Higher Education Institution. Sixty-four persons took part in the study, thirty-two being children (nineteen boys and thirteen girls), their age ranging from four years and one month to eight years and nine months, diagnosed with the phonological type of Speech Sound Disorder. Besides them, thirty-two adults, either their parents or guardians, participated in the study. The results were organized by degree of association - strong association, average association and average association with aspects of speech. Results: regarding the parents’ perception, the impact of Speech Sound Disorder on their children is related to interpersonal relationships and to emotional behavior, besides school issues. As for the children’s perception, the results demonstrated that the biggest impact of irregular speech takes place in unfamiliar environments. In addition to that, they have shown that isolation and the development of feelings such as frustration, shyness and low self-esteem are common among these children, making their relationship with other people difficult. Conclusion: the perception of parents and children regarding speech-related difficulties should be studied in order to reach both a better understanding and a more adequate treatment of Speech Sound Disorders.