Risk factors for the development of specific articulation disorder in children

Abstract

Introduction: Considering inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between various risk factors and speech disorders, this study objective is to analyze following risk factors: long-term use of pacifier, thumb sucking, caretaker speech of parents, and average exposure to electronic media during the day, chronic otitis media, poor differentiation of oral musculature, parental speech status and their association with the occurrence and manifestation of a specific articulation disorder. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the extent to which various risk factors are present in children who have a specific articulation disorder. Method: The sample consisted of a total of 100 subjects, aged five to seven, who were divided into two groups, experimental (50 subjects with specific articulation disorder) and control (50 subjects without the disorder). The diagnosis of specific articulation disorder was made on the basis of a qualitative analysis of responses to tests of speech and language abilities, anamnestic data and additional examinations. The parents of all respondents completed a socio-demographic questionnaire that included questions about the factors listed as risky for this disorder. Results: The use of pacifiers, thumb sucking and poor differentiation of oral musculature were shown to be significant predictors of specific articulation disorder. On the other hand, when examining the influence of electronic media exposure during the day and the manifestation of dyslalia in children and the influence of chronic otitis media on the manifestation of dyslalia, statistical significance was obtained on the whole sample, but it was not found in a subsample of children diagnosed with specific articulation disorder. Conclusion: The results support the importance of factors such as the use of pacifier, thumb sucking, and poorly differentiated oral musculatures for the proper development of a child’s articulation. Adequate and timely informing parents about possible risk factors for dyslalia could reduce this disorder in children.