Speech Problems With the Letter R

You smiled indulgently as your child lisped through baby talk and toddler prattle, but now that he is older, you might be concerned if he continues to pronounce "rock" like "wok." This inability to pronounce the "r" sound is known as rhotacism. Typically the wascally wabbit disappears as a child matures. Sometimes, though, children who don't receive needed help wrestle with the rascally "r" sound for years.

  1. Normal Speech

    • It is absolutely normal for a young child to mispronounce the "r" sound. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a child starts making consonant sounds as early as 4 months. As he continues to babble, he strengthens the lips, tongue and palate for speech. He should start using words around the age of 18 months and add new words constantly. By the age of 4, children can speak fairly clearly, however, most don't master the "r" sound before age 7, according to the International Children̵7;s Education Department.

    How the ̵6;R̵7; Sound is Made

    • Your child must coordinate several muscles in her jaw and tongue in addition to her vocal cords in order to properly make the "r" sound. This is one of the reasons why the sound is one of the last consonants a child masters. In making this sound, most of the tongue is resting on the soft palate while the tip of the tongue is placed just behind the front teeth. If the tongue is too low, a "w" sound comes out instead. If the tip of the tongue touches the front teeth, the child voices the ̵6;l̵7; sound, saying "lake" instead of "rake."

    How to Help

    • As your child learns to speak, play games together that encourage use of the "r" sound. Pretend to be puppies and growl with a repeated "r" sound. Pretend to be pirates and say ̶0;Argh!" while sporting bandanas and eye patches. Speech therapist Karen George encourages parents to join the "r" sound with a vowel such as the long "e" sound. Spread lips wide start by making the long "e" sound. Then, while keeping the sound continuous, move into the "r" sound. The result will be a long continuous sound that says "eeeeer." This helps the child feel his tongue move from the "e" position to the "r" position.

    When to Seek Help

    • The CDC suggests that parents watch the speech development very carefully. If a child isn̵7;t speaking clearly by the age of 4, the CDC encourages parents to talk to the pediatrician. However, the "r" sound may remain elusive for some children who have mastered all the other sounds. According to the International Children̵7;s Education Department, most children do not use the sound consistently until the age of 7. If your child is older than 7 and still struggling with the "r" sound, consult your child's pediatrician or speak to the school about speech therapy.

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