An articulation disorder is the disruption in the development and/or use of speech sound production, it is primarily characterized by substitutions, distortions and omissions of speech sounds in words.

A phonological disorder is the disruption in development of the processes governing speech-sound production.

An articulation evaluation includes assessment of speech sound production in the initial, medial and final positions of words as well as assessment of oral-motor mobility and function to determine if the oral structures are present and functional for expressive speech production.

A phonological assessment typically includes assessment of the speech processes including syllable structure, sound substitutions and assimilations.

A plan of care for remediation of articulation/phonological disorders is designed to assist the child in maximizing expressive speech sound intelligibility and content.

Oral motor exercises, auditory discrimination of correct speech sound production and developing expressive articulatory accuracy are achieved through increasing listening skills and oral strengthening of the articulators.