lollie010 Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 My dd just turned four this week. She is very bright and active. She loves for me to read to her and knows many letter sounds. She can blend three letter words if she knows the letter sounds. She sings and dances all day. It suddenly hit me about two weeks ago that she is not pronouncing the "r" sound in words with "r" controlled vowels and she is not ennunciating the "r" sound at the end of words. Ex: girl is pronounced "gull" and brother is pronounced "brothuh." Sometimes her "L's" have sublte hints of the "w" sound. These are the only problems I have noticed and I cannot believe I am just now picking up on it, but it became more evident after a recent cold with stuffy nose. We have been trying to help her, but haven't seen any progress. Is there anything that I should do? I am not overly worried, but am wondering if this is in the range of normal. Thanks in advance. Laurel T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 My 5yo this morning said "cr-wik-wree" for "quickly". :001_huh: I don't know. Not very helpful, I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 Not very helpful, I know. Actually, it is helpful. We are not around other children very much, so I just don't have anything to compare to. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 I won't rule out a speech/hearing problem of some sort. Other people with the experience I lack will chime in with useful suggestions. A very, very long-shot guess, just to offer. . . Does your dd spend [a great deal of] time with anybody from another country or region? What you describe is what I have heard termed "dropped r", or "dropping the r". Here is a short article describing it: http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/southern/dahling/ My mother, raised by her "southern" mother, has "dropped her Rs" throughout all of my memories of her speaking. Not until I grew up and studied some linguistics did I realize what this was, in Mom's case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Somebody mentioned this book before. I don't have it so I can't comment. My son has no problems with the "R" sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jentancalann Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 The "r" sound is one of the last to get, I wouldn't worry just yet. But I would work on it with her now anyway. Do you know a speech pathologist that could give you any placement tips and strategies? My son is 8 and still has the r issue, but through the help of a sp friend he is getting better (she helps me, I help him). I wouldn't seriously worry about it until the end of K or 1st grade. One thing I can help you w/ w/out you seeing me is to tell you to have her make the "sh" sound w/ her lips, hold it, then bring the sides of her tongue to her back, top teeth, while bringing the tip of her tongue to the roof of her mouth, not touching, but in that direction. A lot of kids want to round out their lips which hinders the r sound. Its a hard sound to make, make sure she has "er" down before moving toward the ending r sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Savannah Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 My ds had to have speech therapy for delays in language. The "r" sound is the last sound to develope, as it takes a huge number of muscles to make an r. I believe the "l" may be the second last sound. What I learned from the Speech Path is to model sounds. For example when your child says "What a lovely cricket", don't correct the incorrect sounds, just reply back to her very slowly and clearly, "Yes, that is a lovely cricket". To work with the "l" sound, I remember the Speech Pathologist having me put peanut butter behind my ds upper front teeth. He had to lick it off and use his "voice on" sound at the same time....that is how you make the "l" sound. She'll probably catch on very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickelfritz Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 She was pronouncing several tongue consonants wrong (s, j, and several blends that involve the tongue) and she also says guwl for girl and makes other /r/ msitakes. I was trying to find my sheet, which does tell exactly when each sound should be learned by. I can't find it, which is now going to drive me nuts until I do. Anway...... The only thing I specifically remember is that she wasn't actually behind in any sound. The letter "j" is the only one that she was missing that should be mastered by 4. Everything else, including her /r/ sounds, were at least 4 1/2 and most of them were by 5 or even later. Speech pathologist did look over her mouth structure, which was fine, but she was completely unconcerned. Se gave me some home exercises to do....um....since I can't find my sheet, you can tell we've been real regular.:D The consult wasn't too expensive and she was very helpful, so I'm glad I went and had my mind put at ease. But, after talking with her, I think my oldest child had unusually clear speech....which led me to worry unnecessarily about my youngest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 thanks for the link. She does sound classically southern and we are in Alabama. But, I don't think anyone else sounds quite like her. Maybe we all sound that way and just don't recognize it. I think I will have her ears checked, because she has said that they feel stuffed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 My son is finally getting over the "r" thing. He is 7. I read somewhere that it is common and many kids don't get over it until around age 7. :iagree: Kiddo now tells me he is just saying things the way David Attenborough says them. Cah for car, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 Thank you all so much for the information this morning. I woke up with this on my mind and its great to have a place to discuss. jentancalann The "r" sound is one of the last to get, I wouldn't worry just yet. But I would work on it with her now anyway. Do you know a speech pathologist that could give you any placement tips and strategies? My son is 8 and still has the r issue, but through the help of a sp friend he is getting better (she helps me, I help him). I wouldn't seriously worry about it until the end of K or 1st grade. I do have an acquiantance that I can call, but I haven't talked to her in a while. She works for the school system and has a few reservations about homeschooling. The consult wasn't too expensive and she was very helpful, so I'm glad I went and had my mind put at ease. But, after talking with her, I think my oldest child had unusually clear speech....which led me to worry unnecessarily about my youngest. That may be a factor here. My ds was born with perfect speech. Thanks everyone for the tips. This gives me some things to work on. Laurel T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 I hope you don't mind my thinking this may be, at least, a part of it ! Our first three children were born in Birmingham. (I don't know where in the state you are.) The older two were heavily influenced by the speech patterns of friends, neighbors, and most of the people we saw. I was startled by the "sound patterns" the older two boys used. (I had expected that they would emulate the speech/sound patterns of us, their parents.) We forever were hearing regional pronunciations from them, such as: "I want to go play outsod.", or "It's on the bayud." (with very heavy, prolonged emphasis on the "long A" sound of that first syllable) (The word, btw, is "bed". !) (My own speech is noticeably influenced by my father's Wisconsin accent, so I quickly noticed the boys' differences.) Others have shared their knowledge with you, and very likely they are correct. I just would not completely rule out the environment ! thanks for the link. She does sound classically southern and we are in Alabama. But, I don't think anyone else sounds quite like her. Maybe we all sound that way and just don't recognize it. I think I will have her ears checked, because she has said that they feel stuffed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 As one poster has already stated, /r/ doesn't necessarily come until after age 6. I would not worry for a few years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 I hope you don't mind my thinking this may be, at least, a part of it ! I don't mind at all. It is something we have to be aware of "around these parts." I do a lot of public speaking and have really had to overcome enunciation issues. As one poster has already stated, /r/ doesn't necessarily come until after age 6. I would not worry for a few years! I think you are right. After consultation with THE HIVE I think I will get her ears checked since she complains of stuffiness, try to work with her using the suggestions here, and then just monitor the situation. You all are great to take time out on your Saturday morning to respond. Laurel T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 I have a corrected speech impediment - "r" and "s". I also have tongue thrust. The combo left me with extensive braces and speech therapy. "R" and "S" problems tend not to self-correct as the "r" requires a specific type of tongue roll, and the "s" requires the tongue to stop at a very specific place. Otherwise, either a lisp or a whistle occurs. I managed to master my "s" and "r" by the end of 3rd grade, having started speech pathology in kindergarten (peanut butter: check). When I got my braces in 7th/8th grade, I had to relearn how to do them. I now (unfortunately) have a whistle in my "s" as I was never quite able to adjust to where my jaw moved. I can always tell when I am just dog-tired, because my "r" is the first one to mangle. One thing to recognize is that speech impediments (in the absence of major mouth malformation) are extremely common in developmental disorders. If your child hasn't managed to start getting a handle on "r" by the end of kindergarten (6), I would strongly suggest a consult. But that's just me... a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 At four, I wouldn't worry. Do have her ears checked, just in case. You might want to see if she can hear the difference between "Girl" and "Guwl." My 4 y.o. had a hard time with "L" but he could hear the difference between "Lemon" and "Wemon" and "Yemon." But at age four it's still pretty normal to struggle with "r" or "l" or "s". Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 As one poster has already stated, /r/ doesn't necessarily come until after age 6. I would not worry for a few years! was told the same thing by a speech/hearing gal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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