Motor Speech Sound Disorders
At The Nicole Spruill Academy for Speech, we provide comprehensive evaluation and individualized therapy for children with speech sound disorders. Our goal is to help every child communicate with clarity, confidence, and success.
Articulation Therapy
Articulation therapy helps children learn to correctly produce individual speech sounds that are spoken incorrectly or omitted. Therapy focuses on improving the placement and movement of the lips, tongue, and jaw to develop clear, accurate speech.
Phonological Process Disorder
A phonological process disorder occurs when a child continues to use immature speech patterns that most children naturally outgrow. Rather than having difficulty with one sound, children demonstrate predictable patterns of speech errors that reduce speech intelligibility. Therapy helps children eliminate these error patterns and develop an age-appropriate sound system.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder in which the brain has difficulty planning and coordinating the movements needed for speech. Children know what they want to say but struggle to consistently produce words clearly. Specialized, evidence-based therapy focuses on improving speech motor planning, sequencing, and overall intelligibility.
Our Approach
Each child receives an individualized treatment plan based on their unique communication needs. Through evidence-based intervention, engaging therapy activities, and family collaboration, we help children build the skills they need to become confident, effective communicators.
Molding Beautiful Communicators—One Sound at a Time.
What Is Motor Speech Therapy For?
Motor Speech Therapy is appropriate for children and adults who:
- Are mispronouncing specific speech sounds beyond the expected developmental age
- Are difficult to understand by family, teachers, or unfamiliar listeners
- Feel embarrassed or self-conscious about how they speak
- Have sound errors related to tongue-tie, dental issues, or hearing loss
- Are adults who want to improve clarity for professional or personal reasons
What to Expect in Sessions
Each session begins where you or your child currently are — no judgment, no rushing. We use a systematic, research-backed approach that progresses from producing the sound in isolation, to syllables, to words, phrases, sentences, and finally natural conversation.
For children, sessions incorporate games, storybooks, and movement so practice feels engaging rather than repetitive. For adults, we focus on practical application in real-life contexts — the conversations and situations that matter most to you.
Benefits and Outcomes
With consistent therapy and home practice, most clients see meaningful improvement in their speech clarity. Clearer speech builds confidence, strengthens relationships, and opens doors in academic and professional settings.
Many children complete articulation goals within a year. Adults who have struggled with long-standing sound errors are often surprised by how much progress is possible with the right support and techniques.