What is articulation therapy?

Articulation therapy helps children produce speech sounds correctly. An SLP identifies which sounds are difficult, then uses structured practice to teach correct placement and movement of the tongue, lips, and jaw.

At what age should my child be understood by strangers?

By age 3, strangers should understand about 75% of what your child says. By age 4-5, speech should be mostly intelligible. If unfamiliar listeners struggle to understand your child, an evaluation is recommended.

How long does articulation therapy take?

Duration depends on the number and type of sounds affected. Some children master target sounds in a few months, while others with multiple sound errors may benefit from longer treatment. Progress is tracked with objective data.

What insurance do you accept?

We accept Sutter HMO, Kaiser, Cigna, Blue Shield PPO, Western Health Advantage, and North Bay Regional Center for children ages 0-3.

Is it normal for a 3-year-old to be hard to understand?

Some sound errors are developmentally normal at age 3 (e.g., difficulty with R, L, S, TH). However, if your child is frequently frustrated or strangers understand less than 75% of their speech, an evaluation can determine whether therapy would help.

Speech Therapy for Kids Who Are Hard to Understand — Dixon, CA

Signs Your Child May Need Articulation Therapy

If you notice any of the following speech patterns, an evaluation can identify which sounds need attention.

Drops Beginning or Ending Sounds

Leaving off consonants at the start or end of words, making speech difficult to understand (“ca” for “cat,” “nana” for “banana”).

Sound Substitutions

Replacing one sound with another consistently (“wabbit” for “rabbit,” “tat” for “cat”). Some substitutions are normal at young ages, but persistence warrants evaluation.

Low Intelligibility

Unfamiliar listeners (teachers, peers, relatives) have difficulty understanding what your child says, even when you can interpret their speech.

Frustration Communicating

Your child becomes visibly frustrated, shuts down, or avoids speaking when others do not understand them.

What Therapy Involves

Articulation therapy uses structured practice to teach correct sound production in a supportive, engaging environment.

Comprehensive articulation evaluation to identify specific sound errors
Individualized treatment targeting sounds in a developmental sequence
Practice at word, sentence, and conversation levels
Home practice activities to reinforce skills between sessions
Regular progress updates with objective intelligibility measures

What Families Say

“Our son was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 4. The first services we received was speech therapy as he was unable to express himself. We were lucky enough to have been paired with Stacey. Our son has been in speech therapy for almost a year now and has improved so much. He is always excited to go see Mrs. Stacey. We are forever grateful.”

— Lopez Family, Dixon, CA

“STC helped me ease my daughter into attending sessions independently instead of needing me to accompany her to every session, which has given her more confidence. My daughter looks forward to her therapy every week. We’ve experienced other speech therapy service providers and STC is by far our favorite. It feels like a second home.”

— Ann & Rose, Vacaville, CA

Take the First Step

Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your child’s speech sounds.

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