Speech Sound Errors: Depalatilisation
What is a Phonological Process
A phonological process is a pattern young children use to simplify speech as they learn to talk. Since some sounds are harder to say than others, children might change them to make speaking easier. These processes are normal and usually disappear as the child grows older and gains more control over their speech.
What is Depalatilisation
Depalatalisation is a speech sound pattern where a child says a sound made with the middle of the tongue (like “sh” or “ch”) using a sound made with the front of the tongue instead (like “s” or “z”).
Examples:
Saying “sip” instead of “ship”
Saying “zoo” instead of “shoe”
Saying “chew” as “sue”
This can make it harder to understand what your child is saying.
Age of Elimination
This is a normal part of speech development for some young children, but if it continues past a certain age (usually around 5 years), it may need support to correct.
*Please note these ages of elimination are intended as a general guide only. Other sources can change age ranges by six months to a year. Phonological processes are a murky area of speech pathology.
Fixing Depalatilisation
Teach the difference between sounds: Show your child how “sh” sounds softer and comes from the middle of the mouth, while “s” comes from the front. Use a mirror so they can see their tongue placement.
Use minimal pairs: Practice word pairs that only differ by one sound (e.g. ship–sip, shoes–zoos, chew–sue). Say both words clearly and ask your child to listen and say the difference.
Play listening games: Say two words (like “ship” and “sip”) and ask your child to point to the right picture or object. This builds awareness of the sound differences.
Give gentle reminders: If your child says “sip” instead of “ship,” you can say, “Oh! Did you mean ship with a quiet sh sound?”
Practice with fun activities: Use books, flashcards, or toys with “sh” and “ch” sounds. Turn it into a game.
Helping your child with depalatilisation can be fun and engaging. With patience and practice, they'll start using the correct sounds in no time!
Please note the above information is general in nature and is not intended as professional medical advice. Please seek an appointment with a registered speech-language pathologist if you are at all worried about your child's development.
References:
Mcleod, S (2009). Speech sound acquisition. In Bernthal, J. E., Bankson, N. W., & Flipsen, P. Articulation and phonological disorders: speech sound disorders in children. Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Boston, MA.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2024). Phonological Processes Chart Phonological Processes Description Example Whole Word/Syllable Processes Consonant Cluster Simplification (reduction). https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/sl-phon-process-chart.pdf
Vollmer, E. (2023). Phonological Processes. Therapy Works. https://therapyworks.com/blog/language-development/phonological-processes/phonological-processes/
Suggested Resources
FREEBIE Stone Age Struggle: /b/ Sound
Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with dangerous dinos in a fun interactive game.
FREEBIE Shopping Trip: /b/ Sound
Practice your child’s /b/ sounds by competing to see who can fill their shopping basket first.
FREEBIE Monster Madness: /b/ Sound
Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with mad monsters in a fun interactive game.