Phonological simplification processes by children aged 4, 5 and 6 years with phonological difficulties

Abstract

This paper studies children who have phonological difficulties (PD) from the theoretical principles of natural phonology. This theory holds that the development consists in the gradual loss of the phonological simplification processes (PSP) which affect the production of words. Children with PD do not delete properly the PSP and therefore their speech is unintelligible and similar to that of younger children. Studies on the loss of phonological simplification processes in children with typical language development have been carried out in Spanish. However, far too little attention has been paid to this loss in children with PD. Objective: to compare the management of phonological simplification processes by children aged  4, 5 and 6 years with PD. Method: 34 children with PD and diagnosed with Specific Language Impairment (SLI), students enrolled in a language school, divided into three groups: 4.0 to 4.11 years (n12); 5.0 to 5.11 years (n11) and 6.0 to 6.11 years (n11). Children  were assessed individually in their schools using the Test para Evaluar  Procesos de Simplificación Fonológica (TEPROSIF-.‐R). Results: it was observed that the loss of PSP in children with PD is evident between children aged 4 and 5 years, but it is slower between children aged 5 and 6 years, especially, those related to the structure of the syllable and the word.