As children learn to talk, they often use what are called “phonological processes.” Think of these processes as shortcuts or patterns of sound errors that kids use to simplify words as they’re developing their speech.
One of these patterns is called “stopping.” The phonological process of stopping involves replacing fricative or affricate sounds with stop sounds. So, instead of saying “sew,” a child might say “toe,” or “pan” instead of “fan.”
This article will take a closer look at the phonological process of stopping, when it’s considered a typical part of development, and what strategies can help if a child needs extra support.
What is stopping?
In the world of speech development, “stopping” is a phonological process where a child replaces certain sounds with others. Specifically, they swap fricative sounds (like f, v, both versions of th, s, z, sh, and zh) or affricate sounds (like ch and dj) with stop sounds (like p, b, t, d, k, and g).
In other words, the manner of articulation changes. The manner of articulation refers to how the sound is produced — whether it’s a stop that involves a complete blockage of air, a fricative that involves forcing air through a narrow channel, or an affricate that begins as a stop and ends as a fricative.
Some examples of stopping include:
- “Sun” becoming “tun”
- “Zoo” becoming “doo”
- “She” becoming “tee”
Stopping at the beginning and end of words
Stopping can occur at the beginning of a word (initial position) or at the end of a word (final position). For instance:
- “Fan” becomes “tan” (initial)
- “Van” becomes “pan” (initial)
- “Comb” becomes “cob” (final)
- “Patch” becomes “pat” (final)
When should a child stop stopping?
Stopping is a normal part of language development. Little kids often replace fricatives and affricates with stop sounds. For example, they might say “pan” for “fan” or “doo” for “zoo.”
But children usually grow out of stopping. Here’s when kids typically master the fricative and affricate sounds:
- /f/ and /s/ by 3 years old
- /v/ and /z/ by 3 years, 6 months
- /ʃ/, /ʧ/, and /ʤ/ by 4 years, 6 months
- /θ/ and /ð/ by 5 years
If a child continues to use stopping beyond these ages, they may have a phonological disorder. In this case, a speech-language pathologist can help.
How Speech Pathologists Diagnose Phonological Disorders
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are the experts who diagnose and treat phonological disorders. They listen carefully to how a child speaks, looking for patterns in their errors. A child who uses stopping a lot might say “top” for “shop,” “date” for “gate,” and “pun” for “fun.”
Phonological disorders can make it hard for people to understand a child’s speech. Imagine trying to understand someone who replaces all their “s” sounds with “t” sounds!
It’s important to understand that phonological disorders are different from articulation disorders. Articulation disorders involve trouble making specific sounds correctly. For example, someone with an articulation disorder might lisp when they say “s.” Phonological disorders, on the other hand, involve patterns of sound errors.
Another condition, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), can also affect speech. But CAS involves motor planning difficulties, making it hard for the child to move their mouth and tongue in the right way. Phonological disorders involve trouble understanding the patterns of sounds themselves.
Research-based phonology interventions for speech therapy
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have a number of research-backed approaches they can use to treat phonological disorders, including stopping. Here’s a quick look at some of them:
With the complexity approach, the SLP selects target sounds that are later in the developmental sequence, are consistently incorrect, and are complex. The idea is that focusing on these more complex sounds will lead to a greater overall improvement in the child’s speech.
The cycles approach, developed by Barbara Hodson, involves addressing phonological patterns in cycles. It’s based on the typical sequence of development, so the SLP would work on the patterns in that order.
Minimal pairs therapy
In minimal pairs therapy, the SLP uses sets of words that differ by only one sound. For example, if a child is stopping the /s/ sound and replacing it with /t/, the SLP might use the minimal pair sea and tea. By practicing these pairs, the child learns to hear and say the difference between the sounds.
Minimal pairs therapy can be very effective for treating stopping. Using picture cues along with the word pairs can also help the child understand and produce the target sounds correctly.
How to use minimal pairs in speech therapy
One common way to address stopping in speech therapy is with minimal pairs.
Minimal pairs are sets of words that differ by only one sound. The goal is to help the child hear and say the difference between the sound they’re substituting and the sound they should be using.
Here’s how it works:
- Choose your pairs. Select pairs that contrast the child’s error sound with the correct sound. For example, if a child says “pan” for “fan,” that’s a good minimal pair.
- Familiarize. Make sure the child knows what both words mean. Use pictures if needed.
- Discriminate. Have the child listen as you say one of the words. Their job is to point to or identify the word they hear.
- Produce. Now it’s the child’s turn to say the words. They name the pictures, focusing on making the sounds correctly.
Some minimal pair sets for stopping might include “fan” vs. “pan,” “sew” vs. “toe,” or “ship” vs. “tip.”
Practical speech therapy activities for stopping
Kids are more likely to participate in activities that engage them, and the more they participate, the faster they’ll improve. Here are a few fun, interactive activities that might work for kids who exhibit the phonological process of stopping.
Minimal pair activities
With minimal pair activities, the child practices saying two words that differ by just one sound. For instance, if a child is stopping the /s/ sound, they might practice saying “see” and “tee.”
Some minimal pair activities you might try include:
- No-prep minimal pair worksheets
- Magical-themed minimal pair activities
- Articulation picture card activities
Try to incorporate play into the activities, too. For instance, you could use playdough to form the target sounds or use a magnetic wand to select the target pictures.
Auditory bombardment
Auditory bombardment simply means reading lists of target words to the child. The idea is that the child will become more familiar with the target sounds just by hearing them over and over.
General tips for therapy
When working with a child on stopping, be sure to choose intervention strategies that fit the child’s specific needs and the severity of the stopping. Pairing the activities with play-based learning will help keep the child engaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is fricative stopping?
Fricative stopping is a phonological process where a child replaces a fricative sound (like /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /h/) with a stop sound (like /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /ɡ/). For example, saying “pan” for “fan” or “doo” for “zoo” demonstrates fricative stopping.
Is stridency deletion the same as stopping?
Not quite, though they are related. Stridency deletion specifically refers to the omission or alteration of strident sounds (a subset of fricatives and affricates like /s, z, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ/). Stopping is a broader term encompassing the replacement of any fricative with a stop. A child might delete a strident sound entirely, or they might replace it with a non-strident stop.
What is the phonological process of deletion?
Deletion is a phonological process where a child omits a sound in a word. This can happen at the beginning (initial deletion), middle (medial deletion), or end (final deletion) of a word. For example, saying “ca” for “cat” (final consonant deletion) or “poon” for “spoon” (cluster reduction/deletion) are examples of deletion.
What is the process of stopping, then?
Stopping, as we’ve discussed, involves replacing fricative or affricate sounds with stop sounds. It’s a common phonological process in typically developing children, particularly during the early stages of speech acquisition. It usually resolves as the child’s articulatory skills mature and they learn to produce more complex sounds.
Key Takeaways
Stopping is a common phonological process where a child replaces fricatives or affricates with stop consonants. It’s a typical part of language development, and kids usually grow out of it by the time they’re five years old. However, if stopping persists beyond that age, it could indicate a phonological disorder.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are essential for diagnosing and treating these disorders. They use evidence-based methods like minimal pairs therapy to help children learn to differentiate between sounds and improve their speech clarity.
The field of phonology is constantly evolving, so continued learning and professional development are crucial for SLPs to provide the best possible care to children with speech sound disorders.