books about speech disorders

Speech & Language Ideas for Busy SLPs & Parents

Children’s Books about Speech Disorders

Books are a wonderful way to teach children about people who communicate in a way that is unfamiliar. They can also help children with a speech disorder feel less alone, knowing that others have gone through the same struggles. Below is a list of children’s books about speech disorders. (If you have more suggestions to add, please leave a comment below!)

This post contains affiliate links, which means we could receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended.

Children’s Books about Speech Disorders:

This award-winning book describes a “bad speech day” for the narrator. His father picks him up from school and relates his talking to his favorite place (the river), including its rapids and its calm spots. This book is a beautifully written, sincere read based on the author’s experiences with stuttering.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech:

This book is about an elementary-aged boy who cannot verbally speak due to CAS. The story describes how he is treated at school and how his mother works with the school to teach the boy and the other students that being different is okay. It also highlights some of the positive outcomes from going through difficult times such as developing persistence, grit, and self-acceptance. This story is based on the author’s real-life experiences.

This story uses simple text to send a message about “listening with your heart, not just your ears” and that “friendship goes beyond words.” It is a great read for classes of younger children because it gives ideas of how to play and interact with a classmate who communicates differently. It also mentions the use of an AAC device.

Selective Mutism

Lola loves to talk until she starts school. Then her words disappear! This story follows Lola as she finds new ways to get her words to come back. This book includes techniques for anxiety management, specifically used for children with selective mutism.

The Quiet Little Clam

Articulation:

Rodney Rat cannot say his /r/ sound and tends to stay quiet rather than deal with the other rodents making fun of him. When a bully joins the class, it’s Rodney who outwits her and saves the day.

This story is about a pirate who can’t make his /r/ sound. Barnacle Joe teaches him to make the sound (and gives helpful reminders for articulatory placement to the reader). The pirate then travels all around saying, “arrr!” This book is really more for practicing the /r/ sound, but also shows a character who works to correct his sound errors successfully.

Great to Read to Classes That Are New to Inclusion:

This story is about five children who have disabilities or complex medical conditions (not just speech disorders, but one child uses AAC). They love to read, play, tell jokes, and make friends. It teaches that it is okay to ask questions about differences – and about similarities!

RELATED: Using Visuals to Teach WH- Questions

Here is another book about being a friend with a boy who communicates in a unique way.

I hope you find some of these useful. I would love to add to this list – please post in the comments if you have any books to recommend!

Speech Therapy resources you might enjoy:

picture of winter following directions activity

Winter Speech Therapy Activities and Ideas

picture of child holding bucket of flowers as a spring speech therapy theme

Spring Speech Therapy Themes

Tianna Attends The Magical Art Show

Books are an excellent approach to teach children about people who communicate in unusual ways. They can also make youngsters with speech disorders feel less alone by letting them know that they are not alone. Thank you!

Sugarsnap The Valentine's Card Fairy

Thank you for this reliable blog, I gained a lot of tips. This article is indeed useful. Must read.

Felicia The Book Fairy

I’d go so far as to call this one a “can’t-miss” piece of writing! Great work. I adore it, and the advice is quite helpful.

Spiffy Speech

spiffyspeech
Feb 27, 2022
29 min read

Books Written By Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)

Updated: Mar 13, 2023

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

To best display this list on a mobile device, switch to desktop view :)

My first children's book, a baby board book focusing on early words and sounds, is due to be released in June 2023 through Ninewise Publishing !

I've been really excited to connect with other SLP authors and decided to put together this giant list of books that were written by SLPs because:

1) I love when SLPs support one another. If you buy any of these books, consider leaving an Amazon review or sharing about it on social. Instagram accounts have been included so you can follow the authors.

2) There are many reasons SLPs make incredible writers: We have exposure to a wide variety of picture books, know which picture book features lend themselves well to addressing speech-language skills, and get to see how children react to different stories/elements. We also have specialized knowledge in areas like phonemic awareness, vocabulary instruction, and training families to support speech-language development.

3) The world could use more SLP authors, so if writing is a dream of yours, I thought this might serve as some inspiration to get started!

Please note: I have decided not to include SLP textbooks or workbooks due to sheer volume, but recognize that there are many more phenomenal SLP authors out there not listed below!

If you're an aspiring or published SLP author, definitely check out the Facebook group SLP by Day, Author by Night , run by SLP authors, Tali Kellerstein and Rebecca Eisenberg.

Happy reading!

Baby/Toddler Books

Picture books.

Middle Grade & Miscellaneous Kids

YA & Adult Books

Family resource books.

Let's Go, Puppy!

by Holly Rosensweig, SLP

@spiffyspeech &

@storybookconnection

Follow Puppy throughout his day while learning early, functional words and other skills such as pointing and gesture imitation! Includes tips for parents and a list of the earliest-developing speech sounds. This interactive board book is perfect for little ones ages birth to three!

My First Learn-To-Talk Book

by Stephanie Cohen, SLP

@learntotalkwithme

Written by a speech-language pathologist, My First Learn-to-Talk Book is designed to help babies and toddlers master the skills they need as they learn to talk. Reading the book aloud helps caregivers easily model important aspects of communication for little ones―not only through sounds and words, but also with gestures, facial expressions and more!

My First Learn-To-Talk Book: Things That Go

Teaching speech can be as simple as beep-beep ! Created by a speech-language pathologist, My First Learn-to-Talk Book: Things That Go pairs favorite vehicles with a proven approach designed to help youngsters learn to talk.

What Are They Doing? A Fun Book of Animals and Verbs

by Molly McIntyre, SLP

The animals in this book will help your child develop simple sentence structure, are especially helpful for Autistic children and children with language delays, will develop English language skills, and will delight early readers!

Moon Time Rhymes

The pages of this book come alive and are so soothing to you and your little ones. Yumiko East beautifully illustrated these nursery rhymes created for the joy of the sounds themselves. You and your children will love story time together with this brilliantly crafted children’s book.

Let's Go to the Bear Parade!

Big Bears, Little Bears, Pink Bears and more! Another hit with littleones and early readers. This charming book pairs early adjectives or qualities with delightful bears who go on parade. It helps young children describe their world!

Talk with Me! The Big Book of Exclamations 2

by Teri Kaminski-Peterson, M.S. CCC-SLP

This book is filled with carefully designed illustrations which immerse infants and toddlers in the rich language that surrounds in their familiar environments and daily routines. The books are designed to promote speech sound development and imitation of gestures, sounds and words.

by Dianna S. Cook, M.S. CCC-SLP

@pressplayspeak

Feed a monster friend and be ready to open wide with a yummy-yucky variety of food surprises, color and rhythm. Enjoy interactive fun with vowel sounds while stimulating early speech and language development. Perfect for ages 2 and up!

Mirriam-Webster's 150 First Words

by Claire Laties-Davis, M.S. CCC-SLP

For toddlers ages 0-3. Provides opportunities to learn essential words and one-, two-, and three-word phrases connected to 90 everyday objects found in daily activities/routines. 150 single words and short phrases are introduced, then along the border of every scene a photograph of each item is presented as an additional search-and-find activity.

Baby Actions: Baby on the Go Series 1

by Alpin Rezvani, M.A. CCC-SLP & Debbie Shiwbalak, M.A. CCC-SLP

@giftofgabspeech

What better way to encourage language from your children than using this Baby Actions book created by speech pathologists! This book is perfect for ages 0 months and up... it's never too early to expose them to language learning! Provides an innovative way of learning actions words. Includes these actions: bathing, biting, bouncing, coughing, crying, drinking, drooling, eating, flying, hugging, kicking, kissing, laughing, looking and playing.

This is book one in the Baby on the Go Series by SLPs Alpin Rezvani and Debbie Shiwbalak. Other series and iBooks/eBooks written by Alpin Rezvani and Debbi Shiwbalak, including Fruits, Vegetables, Toddler Actions, Environmental Noises, Consonants, Vowels & Diphthongs, Baby Feelings, and Ways to Promote Speech & Language can be found here .

Our Little Adventures: Stories Featuring Foundational Language Concepts for Growing Minds

by Tabitha Paige, M.S. CCC-SLP

@foxhollowstudios

Written and illustrated by SLP Tabith Paige, the three children's board books in the Our Little Adventures box set take parents and toddlers or young children on trips to the farmers market, the forest, and a wildflower meadow.

Wishy Washy: A First Words and Colors Book

This book features strategically chosen first words that include a child's earliest developing sounds, such as m, b, p, t, etc. Also includes guidance on how to foster your child's speech and language development as they grow. Available April 19, 2022!

Oh No! Poo-Poo

by Jennie Bjorem, M.A. CCC-SLP

@bjoremspeech

Beautifully illustrated repetitive board book on a topic that all children love, poo-poo! Filled with functional consonant-vowel consonant-vowel words, you won't believe where Colby's dino goes potty! Your child will giggle while predicting what crazy spot the poo-poo will be in next! Great for toilet-training as in the end, the dino uses the potty!

Oh No! Pee-Pee

by Jennie Bjorem

Beautifully illustrated repetitive board book on a topic that all children love, pee-pee! Filled with functional consonant-vowel consonant-vowel words, you won't believe where Livi's puppy goes potty! Your child will giggle while predicting what crazy spot the pee-pee will be in next! Great for toilet-training as in the end, the puppy uses the potty!

Baby Zoo: The Book of Colors, Numbers and Shapes

by Margaryta Kuzmin, SLP

This board book follows the story of an accident with paint at the zoo with baby animals. The painter figures out a simple solution to get all animals clean and save the day. Your child will learn the name of each animal, colors, numbers, shapes, emotions and other important concepts.

Let's Talk, Baby

by Stephanie Ciatti, SLP

@babblebooks

Turn your baby's babbles into words with Let's Talk, Baby by Stephanie Ciatti. As a Speech Language Pathologist and mom, Stephanie has created a fun and foundational baby book to support speech development starting day one!

Can You Drink a Dinosaur?: A Yes/No Book for Young Talkers

by Cara Tambellini Danielson

@caraspeech

Children learn to answer yes/no questions, learn to speak in sentences, and learn to think critically about scenarios. Children learn to answer basic yes/no questions by comparing silly scenarios to real scenarios: (Can you throw an elephant? NO Can you throw a ball? YES Can you eat a house? NO Can you eat an apple? YES) Children will be laughing and learning as they read this book.

View other books written by SLP Cara Tambellini Danielson including Easy to Say First Words , What can We Do? , and First Book of Verbs here .

by Laura Prestia, SLP

@languagewithlaura

The book takes you through four different scenarios, each targeting early developing sounds. It focuses on common vocabulary words and uses repetitive two- to three-word phrases for practice. The book uses large, easy to follow text and simple illustrations to capture attention.

by Yael Herszkopf Mayer, M.S. CCC-SLP

@learning_with_yaya

This book will help your child learn action words such as eat, sleep, brush, jump, dance, read, and many more! It is part of a collection that also includes an educational video and an animated song. To watch the videos and hear the songs go to learningwithyaya.com or visit the Learning with Yaya YouTube channel.

View other books by SLP Yael Herskopt Mayer including Opposites, Categories, Sounds, and Colors (as well as Spanish versions of each!) here .

by Caley Nunnally, SLP

@learnwithchatterboxes

We are all different! We have different eyes, ears, noses, mouths, and hands . Mine make me ME, and yours make you YOU. The world was made for us to play, learn, and dream. If we were all the same, how boring would that be? Written by an SLP, this book officially launches on April 26th but is available for pre-order now!

Liam's First Cut

by Taye Jones, SLP

@havingoursay

In her debut children's book, "Liam's First Cut, Taye Glover weaves together the beauty of fatherhood, community, and neurodivergence as Liam, a black boy with an autism spectrum disorder, approaches a big rite of passage: his first haircut.

by Stephen Groner, M.S. CCC-SLP

@slp.stephen

"Life's not always smooth, it's not. Sometimes things get stuck. S-s-sometimes a lot." So begins the story of two children who stutter and get stuck in their speech. Written by a person who stutters turned SLP, "Unstuck," with it's down-to-earth prose (stutters included!) and bright illustrations is the story every child who stutters needs to hear to be left with the most important message of all: hope.

A Day With Mom

by Pearl & Sydney Bassard, SLP

@thelisteningslp

During their day together, Julia and her mom have Julia’s favorite breakfast, explore a book fair, and shop at the mall. Along the way, they experience a few surprises that neither of them was expecting. Join Julia and her mom as they find joy in the simplicity of daily life.

Ella Bella Just Can't Tell Ya

by Hallie Sherman, SLP

@speechtimefun

Meet Ella Bella, an adorable young girl struggling to find the right words to say! Follow along as she learns and practices a strategy to help her get her point across. Ella Bella Just Can't Tell Ya will entertain children while teaching them vocabulary and word retrieval strategies.

Sophie's Special Story

by Gabriella Gizzo, M.S. CCC-SLP

@speechsolutions_

This book is about the special bond between an owner and her dog, Sophie. The purpose of this book was to creatively target speech and language goals through Sophie's experiences. It can be used to target articulation, especially /s/ and /s/ clusters, and language goals such as answering WH questions, labeling common objects, increasing vocabulary through descriptions, expanding syntax, describing emotions/feelings, and sequencing and story retell.

Phil Fly's First Flight

by Gabriell Lucchese-Hood, SLP

@gablab.slp & @philflyflies

Phil, a fly, is often misunderstood as a pest. However, he is actually a friendly little guy who loves to take in sights and go on thrilling adventures. A nomad, Phil is off on his next journey to find a temporary home. Amidst his travel, he stumbles upon a strange place he’s never seen before. The accidental discovery he makes changes his life forever in the most amazing way.

This is the first installment in SLP author Gabriell Lucchese-Hood's Phil Fl y series. Find more adventures with Phil here !

Nia Skye's Friend on Wheels!

by Keylonda Wheeler, M.S. CCC-SLP

@keylondawrites

Nia Skye attends her first play and it changes her life forever! Follow her journey of fun with her new friend, Ariyah. Nia Skye and Ariyah show each other kindness and respect. Even though they move about the world in different ways, one thing they have in common is the superpower of PURPOSE! This beautiful story of friendship helps children and grown ups alike begin talks of disabilities, mobility devices, and allyship.

SLP Keylonda Wheeler's next book, Mrs. Key Key's Speech Room is available for pre-order as of 3/01/22! Click here to view it at keylondawrites.com .

Most Exceptional Me

by Tiffany Malas, SLP & Lauren Maerz, SLP

@most_exceptional_me

Sam has out-of-this-world dreams for himself and he just started kindergarten. While he’s looking forward to learning many new things, Sam wasn’t prepared for all the challenges he would face along the way. With a little help and encouragement from his teacher, he learns to explore his emotions so he can do anything he sets his mind to.

Perfectly Poppy

by Tricia Stone-Shumaker, SLP

@the.speech.teach

When the other chickens make fun of Poppy's crooked beak, he is left feeling sad and bleak until Remi takes Poppy on an enlightening journey. The unlikely duo meet a range of new friends who all have something that makes them different. Poppy's travels will introduce children to the beautiful world of inclusivity and show them that being different is what makes them truly exceptional.

Mo, Pip, & Gabby, and the Broken Ears

by Gretchen J. Hanna, SLP

@gretchenhannaslp

Join friends Mo, Pip, and Gabby as they learn about one of the differences which makes them unique. Does Mo really have broken ears?

Parents of children who have difficulty with loud noises, or sensory processing differences, will want to read this with their children. Diversity is celebrated in this book which also makes it ideal for all parents, teachers, and loved ones to read with their young children, ages preschool through 2nd grade.

Aiden Goes to Speech

by Lisa Mortensen, SLP

This is a story about a little boy who, due to his speech difficulties, struggles with feelings of confusion, frustration, and even isolation, until he is introduced to a fun class called Speech. it is appropriate for any young child – certainly those who are experiencing speech difficulties, but for others too because it touches on how other children react to those who experience speech problems and opens up discussions on understanding and acceptance.

How Does Bunjee Feel?

by Josie C. Mott, M.S. CCC-SLP

@thespeechtherapistsway

The first in the You Tell Bunjee Books series, this book is meant to be interactive, encouraging readers to tell the character something. It uses repetitive phrases and pauses to encourage participation. Toddlers will feel empowered when given a turn (ex: "You tell Bunjee ____") and will want to imitate single words and phrases. They will also learn labels of emotions, colors, and actions.

The Monkey Balloon

by Rebecca Eisenberg, M.S. CCC-SLP & Mindy Winebrenner, M.Ed.

@language_during_mealtime

This book takes children on an adventure of a young girl's quest to find her Monkey Balloon. Mimi and her father use their imaginations to take them on a journey of what-ifs, until they find what they are looking for. The bright and engaging Illustrations help create a story that children will choose to read again and again. Language and learning tips are provided at the end of the story.

View Rebecca Eisenberg and Mindy Winebrenner's second book, A Tale of The Monkey Balloon here .

My Second Year of Kindergarten

by Rebecca Eisenberg, M.S. CCC-SLP

Do you have a child or student who is repeating kindergarten? This book tells the story of a young boy named Peter who discovers progress, support, and triumph when repeating kindergarten. This book was designed with a specialized font to assist children that may have reading disabilities.

View other books written by Rebecca Eisenberg here .

Party Animals! A Wild Collection of Speech Sound Poems

by Tali Kellerstein, SLP

@thespeakboutique

This read-aloud book of playfully illustrated poems features an energetic array of animals. Includes a collection of 21 alliterative animal adventure poems, designed to highlight each speech sound through a LOT of repetition – the best way to learn! The back of the book equips everyday readers with information about speech sounds.

A Doll for Me

by Andrea Coke, SLP

@thiscokeisit

What does she do after searching EVERYWHERE, only to find that doll after doll, they ALL look the same?? Determined to not settle, Molly finds the solution to this big problem herself! Every child deserves to see themselves represented in books, toys and dolls. Grab this fun story today and support diversity learning for kids!

View another book by SLP Andrea Coke in the Molly Morningstar series, Carnival Girl here .

by Michele Pollak, M.S. CCC-SLP

@themarvelousmrsmom

During her first moment of crisis as a mom, Dana finds out how capable and heroic she can be. With humor and intriguing details, Dana's adventure as Octo-Mommy captures the attention of moms and children of all ages.

Lola Koala's Travel Adventures

by Dr. Tinita Ortega Kearney, SLP

Lola Koala is an explorer who loves to travel the world. Join her on her many adventures as she helps your child to develop foundational language skills along the way! Each "Lola Koala's Travel Adventures" book is designed to teach children (ages 2-6 years) a specific language skill. check out the many useful resources and companion items here !

by Bethany Johnson, SLP

This book celebrates the incredible accomplishments of kids: they dream big, they get up when they fall down, and they give each day their best. Serves as a reminder to Never Stop living a life full of amazement and wonder, but most importantly, this book encourages each child to Never Stop being themselves. The illustrations and words highlight children of various abilities to promote inclusion and diversity.

Sammy Goes to Speech

by Marissa Siegel, SLP

In this fun book for youngsters, Sammy wants to communicate, but can't. Sammy and his family go on a hunt to find his voice. After looking everywhere, they end up at a speech-language pathologist's office. Along with his stuffy, Mr. Monster, Sammy and his Mom learn new ways to develop his speech and language skills.

Cackle: Friendship, Belonging and Being Yourself

by Freya Magennis, SLP

This is a lively fairy-tale aimed at early readers. Perfect for 5-8 year olds, it's a fun, quirky read and is a celebration of laughter in all its forms! The story explores friendship, belonging to a community and the importance of being yourself.

My Brother Otto

by Meg Raby, SLP

@author.meg.raby

This is a child-friendly, endearing, and fun picture book for children about the love, acceptance, and understanding a sister, Piper, has for her little brother Otto, who is on the autism spectrum. The book provides explanations for Otto’s differences and quirkiness in an easy-to-understand language, and highlights Otto’s desires for adventure and love―just like his peers.

If Feelings Take Over

by Danielle Nichols, SLP

Mike is a great student, but sometimes his organized brain gets taken over by his powerful feelings! Join Mike and his friend as they discover strategies to act calmly, no matter how strongly they feel.

Discussion questions and an application activity are included. This book is appropriate for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

R ock On, Kindness! Pass It On!

by Stepheni Curran, SLP

@scurran0823

Make predictions and learn new vocabulary as you meet Ally and her five best friends. The theme of moving past differences to find common interests and create friendships is reiterated throughout the story.

View another book by SLP Stepheni Curran, Rock on Kindness! Even When Your Heart Hurts! here.

Wendy's Winter Walk

by Cass Kim, M.A. CCC-SLP

@p.a.c.b.speech

This book takes children on a blustery walk through her neighborhood while providing chances to practice speech sounds for W, M, B, and P. It also promotes early reading (phonological awareness) skills. Perfect for reading with children ages 12 months through 6 years.

This book is part of the series Phonological and Articulation Children's Books. View other books by SLP Cass Kim including T ed and Tina Adopt a Kitten , Greg and his Gecko Go Kayaking , Stephanie's Spectacular Aquarium Visit , Theo Chooses to Help , and Lily, Lana, and the Exploricorn here .

Mikaeel and Malaika: The Power of Dua

by Kazima Wajahat, SLP

@kazimawajahat

“Mikaeel and Malaika were brother and sister and they both had one thing in common. They were superheroes. At least they used to be.”

Mikaeel and Malaika are on another mission but there’s one problem. They no longer have superpowers. Or do they? Follow Mikaeel and Malaika as they find their power of Dua.

This Muslim children's book is book two of the Mikaeel and Malaika series which also includes The Quest for Allah’s Love. SLP Kazima Wajahat is also the author of the beloved Cranky Kareem Says Alhamdulillah of The Salams series. View her other children's books here .

Goldilocks 2.0

by Kimberly Delude, M.A. CCC-SLP

@thespeechvine

This book walks you through the pause, prompt and expand strategy that can help promote the growth of language. It takes the guess work out of reading and turns story time into a fun and productive read aloud. Children familiar with the original tale are now tasked with helping the forgetful narrator stay on track and tell the story.

This book is part of Kimberly Delude's Fairy Tales 2.0 children's picture book series. View other Fairy Tales 2.0 books here .

Freddie the Fly: Motormouth; A Story About Learning to Listen

by Kimberly Delude, M.A. CCC- SLP

This book is a humorous take on the problem of talking too much, listening too little, and struggling to wait your turn. Included at the end of the story are tips for parents and educators in starting a discussion with children how to be excited about listening to others and learning from it.

This is the first in Kimberly’s Delude’s children's picture book series Freddie the Fly . View other Freddie the Fly books by Kimberly Delude on Amazon here .

Kindness is Golden

by Macy Gilson, M.S. CCC-SLP

@macy.gilson

This is the debut book in The Golden Stories: An Inclusive Children's Book Series. All of the books in this series follow a first grade class from Golden Elementary School, which sets the gold standard for disability awareness and inclusion.

Kindness Matters!

by Julie Thill-Stellman, SLP

This children's book captures the essential component of early social skills. It was written to help children become better friends, classmates and citizens.

The Mouth With a Mind of Its Own

by Patricia Mervine, M.A. CCC-SLP

Matthew has a problem. His mouth has a mind of its own. His brain thinks one thing, but his mouth says another. He can’t participate in class discussions. He can’t ask the other kids to play with him at recess. He can’t even say his own name! Luckily, he is referred to the school speech therapist, who helps him tame his wild mouth.

There Was a Speech Teacher Who Swallowed Some Dice

A wacky Speech Teacher starts swallowing everything she needs to do speech/language therapy in her school! What could possibly happen? Better look out when those dice begin to roll! This book is a delightfully silly way to introduce students to many of the materials used in speech therapy, and ends with a Speech Room Scavenger Hunt.

How Katie Got a Voice (and a cool new nickname)

This is a story of challenge, triumph, and acceptance. The students and teachers of Cherry Street School all have nicknames that celebrate their differences. But the new girl, Katie, is really different. She can’t walk. She can’t talk. It seems like she can’t do anything! So how can the other students involve her in their activities? And how can they give her a nickname?

Wanda's Words Got Stuck

Lucy Rowland, SLT

@lucymayrowland

Wanda the witch is so shy she can’t talk at school. No matter how hard she tries, the words simply won't come out. But when another quiet little witch named Flo joins her class, it seems that Wanda’s not the only one who gets nervous sometimes. Then disaster strikes at the school-wide magic contest. Will Wanda have the courage to shout out the magic words and save her new friend?

View many other books written by SLT Lucy Rowland, only some of which are pictured above, here .

I Can Do That!

by Dr. Suzy Lederer, SLP

Using natural gestures to support early vocabulary development has been shown to help children learn new words more quickly. This book provides children with multiple opportunities to hear, see, say, and sign early verbs. With built-in interactive reading strategies, strong rhythm and rhyme patterns, and engaging illustrations, it provides a multi-modal reading experience to support early word learning.

This book is part of the Word Sprouts series. Word Sprouts books are designed to help early language and literacy grow! Early language learners will benefit from engaging stories that provide opportunities to learn early vocabulary words and simple phrases/sentences through gestures, pretend play, focused stimulation, imitation, and fun! View other books by Dr. Suzy Lederer here .

My Cow Can Bow

by Dr. Shari Brand Robertson, SLP

Targets front/back contrasts using minimal pairs built right into the story. Students have multiple opportunities to contrast front sounds and back sounds that are included in each sentence. Includes flashcards of targeted minimal pairs (e.g., cap/tap) to reinforce learning and extend the story.

This book is part of the Word Menders series targeting phonological processes, language, and literacy development. View other books by Dr. Shari Brand Robertson, including Shivering Sheep , and Read With Me! , here .

by Elizabeth Redhead Kriston, SLP

This book is designed to help children learn to hear and produce sounds and build core vocabulary through the use of carefully crafted word pairs and opportunities for active participation in the reading interactions. Go by Goat includes flashcards to reinforce learning and extend the story.

This book is also part of the Word Menders series targeting phonological processes, language, and literacy development. View other books by SLP Elizabeth Redhead Kriston, including The Bark Park , Pants on Ants , Miles of Smiles , and Raincaots and Rainbows here .

Run, Turkey, Run!

by Peggy C. Agee, SLP

Mr. Turkey finds hiding places all over the farm - and always just one step ahead of the cook. Prepositions are delightfully highlighted while children are given multiple opportunities to join the fun. Simple, repetitive text and colorful illustrations will keep children engaged. Also includes manipulatives - stick puppet patterns and preposition storycards.

View other books written by SLP Peggy C. Agee, including The Amazing Adventures of Sadie and Sam , and Nonnie's Trunk here .

Our Brain and the Good Breathing Book

by Dianne Lazer, M.A. CCC-SLP & Chris Bauman, M.A. BBEA

This book was cowritten by an SLP and Buteyko Breathing Educator and trainer. It is full of colorful, fanciful and instructive images that support the text about how to breathe well. It provides a good review and background as to why young patients are asked to do various exercises, to develop self-awareness and consequently changes in behaviors, with the resultant benefits to their physical, mental and spiritual health.

The Adventures of Paula & Gigi: Learning Opposites

by Gisella Curioso-Vilchez, M.S. CCC-SLP

@comunicatespeechservices

In this book, you will improve your vocabulary and learn with the twins about opposites. All the activities at the end of the book are designed from easiest to more challenging. Recommended ages 3 to 7.

This is one of three books based on the curious twins, Paula and Gigi, developed and created by Comunícate Speech Services, LLC, and available in English and Spanish. The stories help to improve comprehension, expressive language, speech, reading, and writing skills in children. View these and other books by bilingual SLP, Gisella Curioso-Vilchez here .

Special Like My Sister

by Christina Colonna, SLP

This book is written about a 7-year-old girl named Mary, who wonders how she can be like her best friend and sister Rose, when Rose has a disability and Mary doesn’t. As she starts thinking about all of the ways the two of them are different, she quickly realizes that they have just as many ways that they are alike. Mary discovers that not only are she and her sister similar, they are both special in their own ways.

Chubby Chubby Kitty Fluff

by Meredith & Josh Avren

@avrenbooks & @thepeachiespeechie

Young readers will love to laugh out loud as they're instructed to tap, swipe, shake and otherwise interact with Gus, a chubby fluffy house cat. As they turn each page, they will discover Gus' hilarious reactions. Be sure to download free activities from avrenbooks.com for extra fun and learning to go along with the book.

by Leigh Anne Fortner, SLP

@spreadthelightbooks

Help your child to see the goodness and beauty that surrounds us in this world while also exploring one woman's journey through grief. Discover how love can spread and grow, where this love comes from, and that this love is with them always.

*All net proceeds in 2022 will to to The CALL in Arkansas , a non-profit organization that mobilizes local churches to serve local children and youth placed in foster care.

Scotty the Scarecrow

by Gina Puma, SLP

This book is perfect for Speech-Language Pathologists to address articulation for /s/ and /s/ blends, as well as language skills, during Autumn and Thanksgiving. This story can also be utilized by General/Special Education teachers and/or parents.

Comprehension, target vocabulary, and an articulation list were all created by the author and included at the end of the book to promote your child/student’s language in an engaging way!

Meet the Mermaid Babies

by Emily St. Marie, SLP

@emilystmarie

This is an undersea adventure for early and beginner readers who want more than 'see spot run' content. Aimed at an audience of readers who want to enter a magical world where mermaid babies live in a picturesque lagoon, it's a perfect experience for preschoolers and kindergartners who want to know what the words say and learn to read for themselves.

Billy Gets Talking

by Mehreen Kakwan, M.A. CCC-SLP

This is a preschooler's journey overcoming childhood apraxia of speech. Relatable for the youngest children with a diagnosis of CAS. Examples are provided of how caregivers can incorporate practice into their daily routines.

View other books written (or illustrated!) by Mehreeh Kakwan including Let's Get Talking: A Speech-Language Therapy Companion for a Child's First Functional Words and Tyler Takes a Taste: A Boy and His Family's Journey Through "Picky Eating" and Feeding Disorders here .

An Alphabet Pet Parade in Topsy-Turvy Town, Population 26

by Judith E. Torres, M.A. CCC-SLP

This book can be used by parents, speech-language pathologists, and educators to teach language and literacy concepts such as phonemic awareness, letter names and sounds, opposites, animal vocabulary, verbs, pronouns, and story prediction.

Something to Say Collection

by Eden Molineux, M.S. CCC-SLP

The Something to Say Collection promotes self-advocacy, understanding of speech and language differences, and conversation about embracing diversity. Each book features a character with a communication difference. Characters' strengths and interests are highlighted, while the reader gains an increased understanding of how to support communication.

The Light Was Always There

by Felicity Conlan, SLP

@speechforthestars

Everyone's lives were turned upside down when the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world. This story tells the reality of the pandemic through the eyes of a child. It reminds us that even though there were challenging times, there was some positivity (the light) to all of this - a new appreciation for the little things in life.

My Morning Sounds

by Shawndre Johnson, SLP

See how many sounds your child recognizes in his or her own morning routine. Read the book and incorporate suggestions from the "Tips for Parents" to create special memories with your children as they enjoy talking with books!

Come On, Calm

by Kelsey Brown, SLP

@comeoncalmbook

Disguised as any other picture book, "Come On, Calm!" is just the book parents, teachers, and caregivers need to help their little ones build healthy habits and a shared vocabulary for when they need a break.

Speech Class Rules

by Ronda M. Wojcicki, M.S. CCC-SLP

Created with the vision of educating everyone about speech therapy, this book is being used to introduce the concept of therapy to children recently diagnosed, provide a story and characters that children already in speech can relate to, and help parents, educators, and children not in speech understand what speech and language disorders are all about.

Imagine and Daydream

by Fiorita Di Palma, M.S. CCC-SLP, M. Ed

@ full_bloom_speech

Kaya loves to play outside! As she stomps and splashes, she imagines and daydreams all of the things her hiking stick can be. While Kaya turns an ordinary stick into extraordinary things, she explores nature and meets some friends along the way. Let your imagination run wild as you go on an adventure with Kaya!

Alpaca Pearl Packs for Peru

by Rachel Arntson, SLP

@talkitrockit

Alpaca Pearl is going on an adventure, and she needs your help. This adorable 27 page, 8.5 x 11 inch, paperback book, will engage children in learning vocabulary, problem solving, repeating phrases, and helping Alpaca Pearl pack her suitcase. Children will delight in guessing what Alpaca Pearl will pack. This book includes a 6 page manual giving suggestions on how to read books to children, specific activities for using this book, and simple poems that further enhance this book.

View other books by SLP Rachel Arntson including We Can Talk and I Love (co-written with Chez Raginiak) at Talk It Rock It here .

Bee, Honey Bunny and Me

by Lavelle Carlson, SLP

@slp_storyteller

This delightfully illustrated book will keep children enthralled as they dream along with Leni about the bunnies and the bees to see how Baby Bunny changes her mind about carrots. Will this also help Baby Leni love carrots as she dreams about Baby Bunny and the carrots and bees?

Download free companion activities and view other books written by SLP Lavelle Carlson including at SLP Storytellers .

Polka The Dotted Sock

by Sola Alakuro Oluwande, SLP

This book introduces Polka, a resilient and self-motivated sock who applies positive thinking skills to navigate through a challenging situation and in the end is victorious. Watch out for the surprising but beautiful twist at the end! Polka The Dotted Sock is designed to help children with self-motivation, self-advocacy, resilience, and positive/critical thinking skills.

Sloths Are Slow

by Kimberly Marino, SLP

@eatspeakplay

Written to assist in developmental areas not often covered in early books. Young learners will love engaging with this factual and playful book as they "work" on developing fine and gross motor skills, expressive (talking) and receptive (understanding what is said) language , and cognitive skills (counting and more).

True Friends

by Carol Liu and Beth Ciangulli, M.A. SLP

True Friends tells its story through characters who have special needs. Its aim is to increase understanding and awareness of childhood disabilities, to teach social strategies, and to foster social interactions across perceived boundaries of difference.

T he Big City Dance

by Valerie Doherty, SLP

Moe Doodle is a country mouse who decides to move to the Big City in search of excitement and adventure. Although he finds plenty of fun, he soon realizes he is homesick and missing his friends. Told in bouncing rhyme and rhythm with incorporated dance movements for young listeners and readers, discover how Moe solves his problems while exploring and living in the Big City. Ideal for children of three years and older.

View other books by SLP Valerie Doherty including Moe and Manford and Wonderful Things here .

Colors of Maine

by Davene Fahy, SLP

This book shows a beautiful scene of Maine for each of the 10 colors that children will learn.Readers will appreciate the charming illustrations of Maine which emphasize all of the basic colors of the spectrum. They will enjoy discovering all of the details on the page which have a specific color.

View other books written by SLP, Davene Fahy including Anthony Best , The Boy Who Thought He Was a Plane , and Charlie Who Couldn't Say His Name here .

Growing Up Without My Daddy

by Angela Adley, SLP

Growing Up without My Daddy shares a story of being fatherless through the perspective of a little girl growing up in a big world without feeling the unconditional love and security of a father. This children’s book seeks to help parents guide their little girls through healing the hurt and pain of growing up without their fathers so that they will aspire to become loving and confident young women.

Middle Grade & Miscellaneous Kids' Books

Gratitude Journal for Kids

by Kimberly Scanlon, M.A. CCC-SLP

@scanlonspeech

This is a beautifully designed journal that aims to teach children how to notice the wonderful gifts in life. Practicing gratitude on a daily basis has the power to lift spirits, dampen stress, and create happiness. Using this journal can help your child cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

Epic! Animal Rescue Friends Tales

Epic! Animal Rescue Friends Vol. 6

Epic! Animal Rescue Friends Vol. 7

by Jana Tropper, SLP

At the Animal Rescue Friends shelter, everyone is looking for a way to belong—kids and animals alike. From Epic! Originals, Animal Rescue Friends is a heartwarming graphic novel series filled with humor and furry friendships.

The Picklefry Twins: Mystery in the Bermuda Triangle

by Molly McIntyre, SLP & Kyle Kroupa

This charming book tells the story of the Picklefry twins, Blake and Olivia, who must work together to find their parents’ missing plane in the Bermuda Triangle. Can they solve the mystery of not only their missing parents and their passengers but, why all on the plane are sound asleep? Fans of The Magic Tree House books, Jack Jones series, and The Secret Lake will love this book series.

Kodi's Adventures: How I Learned to Defeat the Time Snatcher

by Mindy Hudon, SLP

@mindyhudonauthor

Mindy Hudon wrote this graphic novel as a tool for SLPs, educators, and caregivers to help children better understand how they can be successful in time management. Readers will identify with Kodi’s setbacks and successes as he learns how to recognize his “time snatchers,” how to take control of his time, and how to become an effective time manager. Mindy shows how Kodi makes simple changes to get big results. Supplementary material includes easy, functional strategies to implement into daily sessions―both in the classroom and at home.

The Celestra

by Hanna Till, SLP

@hannahtillauthor

A riveting and action-packed debut filled with fantastical elements, political turmoil and a slow burn romance perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout. Nera, a woman with no home, no family, and no memories of why; finds herself in an unfamiliar world. Tarak, a man with a mission, a plan, and a destiny; finds a woman lost in the forest and with her, the opportunity to escape the path set in place since his birth. Ithesin, a world filled with lies, secrets, and more magic than even the most noble have yet to encounter.

But My Speech is Fine! Speech Language Pathology: True Stories of a Misunderstood Profession

by Lauren Hermann, SLP

@slp.writer

Unveiling one of the world's best kept secrets, Lauren Hermann took it upon herself to share real stories about the misunderstood profession of speech-language pathology. But My Speech is Fine is a collection of Lauren's on-the-job experiences as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) with featured stories from various SLPs across the U.S. This book is meant to dispel the occupational myths through eye-opening and heart-warming experiences across the lifespan

Abuelita Mita and the Perfectly Imperfect Tortillas

by Sara-Brianna Ocampo, SLP

This story is about the author's meaningful memories about the simple times of cooking with her abuelita and learning more than recipes and techniques. This Spanglish-written story is a snapshot of the time she tried to learn how to make the perfectly round tortilla and failed miserably, but learned so much more in the process. Her wise abuelita took this opportunity to teach her about the significance of finding meaning and importance within rather than judging things by their external appearance.

Lucky: A Novel

by Kristina Parro, SLP

@kristinaparrowrites

This is the story of the American Dream: an epic juxtaposition of glitter and tragedy. Two women- one pop-star, one heiress- are connected through the transcendental nature of time and space. Join America's favorite pop-star, Rhea Harmonia, as she tumbles down an existential rabbit hole... through the story of Rebekah and the Harkness family (of the Standard Oil fortune), American history, Western thinking, math, music, philosophy, and time. Is the American Dream anything but a nightmare?

How Stella Learned to Talk

by Christina Hunger

@hunger4words

An incredible, revolutionary true story and surprisingly simple guide to teaching your dog to talk from SLP Christina Hunger, who has taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using simple paw-sized buttons associated with different words. This book is part memoir and part how-to guide. It chronicles the journey Christina and Stella have taken together, from the day they met, to the day Stella “spoke” her first word, and the other breakthroughs they’ve had since. It also reveals the techniques Christina used to teach Stella, broken down into simple stages and actionable steps.

Sitting in the Sadness

by Elizabeth Bowman, SLP

@sitting_in_the_sadness & @elizsicuso

This poetry collection is for the courageous souls willing to sit in the sadness, grieve, and reflect. To be genuinely attached to someone, lose them, then feel insurmountable pain proves that you are unique, beautiful, and capable of true love. This book is for you.

One American's Story: War, PTSD, Politics, Parkinson's and the Pandemic Through the Eyes of a Vietnam Veteran

by Jim Fawcett and Kathleen Depperschmidt, SLP

This book reads as a conversation with Jim, a 75-year-old Vietnam War Veteran. It details Jim's struggles to live the life he wanted, while serving first his country, then his family, as well as his business and government endeavors. He shares his unique insight from these experiences, and relates the events in our current national and world stage to the ongoing nature of conflict, political and social upheaval and addresses the pandemic that raged while this book was being written.

Sis, You Got This! From Surviving to Thriving as a Minority Speech-Language Pathologist

by Barbara Fernandes, M.S. CCC-SLP

@geekbarbara

This is a story meant to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for the minority women in speech-language pathology. It follows the autobiographical accounts of Barbara Fernandes, an adult immigrant to the US, as she embarks on her journey as a CSD student learning both English and Spanish. It tells of her struggles facing isolation, microaggressions, and her own internal battles to eventually become one of the most successful entrepreneurs within the SLP field.

by Peggy Moffitt Earnest, SLP

Jake is just beginning his freshman year at Brighton High School. He is not just any high school student, he is a young man with Down syndrome who LOVES to sing. This is a fictional story of the many ways Jake influences his friends and family for the better, even without speech. It is geared toward young adults and touches on many current topics such as inclusion, kindness, friendship and bullying. Mostly, it is about the priceless lessons that Jake’s attitude can teach the typical world.

Assistive Techonlogy in Special Education: Resources to Support Literacy, Communication, and Learning Differences

by Joan L. Green, SLP

@joanlipmangreen

This book presents a wealth of practical, well-organized information* to help families, teachers, and therapists find effective solutions for students with learning, literacy, and cognitive challenges. This third edition features new affordable tools to improve and compensate for challenges related to speaking, understanding, reading, writing, and thinking and remembering, as well as strategies to help students become more organized and efficient.

*Includes lists of apps, websites, and other assistive tech sorted by skill area!

I Used to Have a Handle on Life, but it Broke!

by Dr. Shari Robertson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

This book is the compilation of work that Dr. Shari Robertson presents at her sold-out presentations on this topic. It is divided into two parts: Part I addresses how to manage time and stress in personal and professional settings. Part II focuses on managing difficult people. Both are packed with practical information, personal resources, and Shari's own brand of humor.

View children's books written by Dr. Shari Robertson here or in the picture book section above.

Autumn Nights: 12 Chilling Tales for Midnight

by Cass Kim, SLP (and others)

@cass_kim_writes

This book brings together the very best in spooky, young adult appropriate, tales to tell under a harvest moon. These twelve spooky short stories originate from ten outstanding authors to delight your love of Autumn and get the hairs on the back of your neck standing at alert. Even better- your purchase helps your fellow humans. All profits generated through the sales of this volume of Autumn Nights will be donated to the Feeding America's network of food banks, pantries and meal programs that serve almost every community in the United States.

Wilders: A Dystopian Half-Pocalypse Series

by Cass Kim, SLP

The forest behind Renna’s home is dark and dense. It holds more secrets than she knows. Having grown up in the half-pocalypse, a world balancing against the tide of a blood-borne virus, Renna knows the rules by heart: 1) Stay inside between dusk and dawn. 2) Close and lock the copper and silver screens. 3) Report anyone suspected of infection immediately. Now, at seventeen, Renna will have to survive against the rules.

- An unprecedented attack.

- A strange boy with copper eyes.

Can Renna survive the darkness to save the people she loves?

View other books written by SLP Cass Kim including Phonological and Articulation Children's Books (also listed in the picture book section above) and additional fiction novels here .

My Toddler Talks

Are you concerned that your child is not talking as much as his peers? Is he growing increasingly annoyed because he can’t tell you his wants and needs? Bring out the toys and get ready to shake up your perspective –we’re going to decrease your frustration and learn some tried and true techniques to get your toddler talking!

My Toddler's First Words

Practicing speech language pathologist and bestselling author, Kimberly Scanlon, has applied her advanced expertise in speech therapy for toddlers to create the ultimate, easy-to-understand, resource to assist parents in developing an action plan to effectively model, elicit, track, and expand a toddler’s language.

Alphi, The Dog With Special Aphasia Powers

by Gail Weissman, SLP

This book was designed to educate family members of stroke survivors on how to communcate best with loved ones who have aphasia.

50 Easy Exercises to Get Your Toddler Talking!

50 EASY EXERCISES TO HELP GET YOUR TODDLER TALKING! These fifty exercises are designed with one aim: to get your toddler talking! Whether you want to help them to say their first words or to give their language a boost, these exercises are just what you need.

View other books by Freya Magennis here .

Playing with Purpose

by Emily Cohen, M.A. CCC-SLP

@tandemspeech

This book teaches families and educators of toddlers and young children how to convert play and everyday routines into activities that are both fun AND beneficial for a child’s speech and language development.

Tyler Takes a Taste: A Boy and His Family's Journey Through "Picky Eating" and Feeding Disorders

by Barbara Coven-Ellis M.A. CCC-SLP

@slp.swallowdetective

This is the story of Tyler, a young boy who only eats a few foods, and how he and his family, with the help of a feeding specialist, learn that food doesn't have to be scary and mealtimes don't have to be stressful. Also illustrated by an SLP author, Mehreen Kakwan, M.A. CCC-SLP.

Understanding Your Toddler: A Month-By-Month Development & Activity Guide for Playing With Your Toddler

by Ayelet Marinovich, M.A. CCC-SLP

@learnwithless

This book offers an enrichment curriculum for parents and caregivers of toddlers, with 52 bite-sized "modules" of palatable, research-based developmental information and simple, enriching activities to support your toddler's development in the areas of cognitive, communicative, motor, and social/emotional development. Month by month, learn along with your growing, changing child!

View SLP Ayelet Marniovich's other book, Understanding Your Baby here .

Do you know of any other books authored by SLPs? Are you an SLP author who would like your book added to this list? Please leave a comment or message me on Instagram ( @spiffyspeech )!

Make sure you are subscribed to my newsletter (enter your E-mail at the bottom of this page) and that you follow me on Instagram (SLP page = @spiffyspeech, family resource page = @storybookconnection) if you'd like to see future posts like this one.

13+ Best Children’s Books for Speech Therapy

Today I am beyond excited to share my latest blog post outlining a few of my favorite children’s books for speech therapy.

Plus learn a fun way a Speech-Language Pathologist could use one of these great books in their next speech therapy sessions to target specific goals.

In addition, I’ve included digital versions of the following books. **Please be sure to preview the digital versions of the books prior to reading or watching with your child or student. I have previewed all the videos myself, but you know your child or student best and your/their comfort levels with different words or detailed illustrations.**

Children’s Books for Speech Therapy

Here is a list of over 13 of the best children’s books for speech therapy that are perfect for a Speech Language Pathologist or parent looking for a fun and engaged way of working on different speech sounds and language goals.

Be sure to check out the additional growing list of great activities at the bottom of this page and add some of these children’s books for speech therapy to your school supplies list this year.

1. Bear Snores On

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman is one of those favorite books of young readers that is all about a bear who sleeps through the long winter while his friends join him inside his cave inorder to find safety during a winter storm.

BONUS: If you like these types of books then it would be worth it to check out the new books in this bear series. There are a lot of books perfect for adding to your book collection. Such as the following books: Bear’s New Friend, Bear Can’t Sleep, Bear Stays Up for Christmas, Bear Feels Scared, Bear Feels Sick, Bear’s Loose Tooth.

Articulation:

S- Blends- snores, sleeps, stays

Language Skills

Sequencing – Read this book and have your stores retell the order of animals that come into the bear’s den while he is asleep to practice sequencing and order.
Vocabulary – This book has some great elementary vocabulary. Have students describe the words heap, slurp, scuttles, tunnel up, flutter, mutter, twitter, clutter, den, lair, cave, woods, winter, and bear.
What does bear feel like in the winter?
What do you think bear is thinking when he wakes up?
What do you think bear feels when he wakes up? How do you know?
How do the other animals feel when bear sneezes and why?
What do you think will happen when mouse starts the fire?
What do you think the hare will do?
What do you think badger will do with mouse and hare?
Do you think the animals will wake bear up?
Who do you think will wake bear up?
How do you think the animals will make bear feel better?
What animal was sleeping?
What season was it in the story?
Why was bear sleeping?
What are the three different animals that go into bears cave?
What food did the animals eat?

Language Expansion

Making Requests – A great activity to practice language expansion is to make hot cocoa or chocolate milk with your child or student. Practice correct conversational skills, following directions or have them describe how the drink tastes.

Social Skills

During this story, bear wakes up and sees that his friends are having fun without him. He feels upset, and then his friends find a way to include him. This is a great situation to discuss with students to increase social skills.

Digital Version:

2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a beautiful story about a caterpillar who eats a variety of different foods before emerging as a butterfly. This book is perfect for students with a language disorder and working on new words, such as hatches, searches, days of the week, names of fruit, and more.

Articulation:

This is a great book to go on a sound hunt using all the pictures in the book! Have your students look and listen for worlds that have a specific sound. Use some of the ideas below to get started!

/K/ sound – Caterpillar, came, cone, cake, cocoon
/S/ Blends – started, still, strawberries, slice, stomachache, small, stayed
/L/ Sound (initial, medial & final) – light, little, lay, leaf, look, lollipop, caterpillar, watermelon, small, hole, apple

Language Skills:

Basic Concepts – This book is a great tool to go over basic concepts with your student. Go over descriptive concepts by recounting topics in the book such as big vs little, and all the colors. You could also cover quantity concepts by ordering the days one through five. This book also covers temporal concepts such as days of the week, morning, day and night.
Vocabulary – The Hungry Caterpillar is a book filled with some great vocabulary practice words. Here are some ideas: Chrysalis, butterfly, nibbled, cocoon, metamorphosis, larva, pupa, hatch, emergy, wiggle, slice, hungry and the days of the week.
Grammar – Practice grammar with this story as well! Target the present and past tense verbs as you read. Also practice marking the plural nouns that are read. Have your students practice the verb actions they see in the pictures.
Sequencing – This is a great story to practice sequencing with. Have students retell the story while focusing on sequencing concepts such as first, then, next, when, after, last. You can also have your students sequence the order of foods the caterpillar ate. (EXAMPLE: First he ate an apple. Second he ate two pears etc). Another idea is to sequence the days of the week. (EXAMPLE: Mon – 1 apple, Tuesday – 2 pears, Wed – 3 plums etc)
Describing – This book has some amazing illustrations that are great for providing description practice. Have your students describe a caterpillar vs a butterfly. You could also prompt your students to describe the different food in this story. Turn it into a taste testing activity and describe different fruits as juicy, sour, sweet, crunchy, the color, size and shape, or the category of food.
Past Tense Verbs – This story uses many irregular past tense verbs such as lay, came, ate, was, felt, built and some irregular past tense verbs such as stayed, called and started.
Show me the butterfly and tell me your favorite color on it.
Count the number of holes on the leaf and then turn the page.
Point to a red piece of fruit, and then touch the orange.
Put your finger onto the caterpillar and then slide your finger toward the sun.
Put a finger onto the egg and tap your thumb on the moon.
Who is this book about?
Where is the egg on this page?
What happened to the caterpillar when he ate all the food and then the green leaf?
What is a caterpillar’s small home called?
What did the caterpillar in the story turn into?
2 Syllable – morning, tiny, cocoon, apple, hungry
3 Syllable – lollipop, butterfly, chocolate, strawberry
4 Syllable – Caterpillar, watermelon, stomachache
Opposites – There are lots of opposites in this story! Look for these as you read – moon/sun, caterpillar/butterfly, junk food/healthy food, skinny/plump, small/big, and hungry/full.
Category Ideas – Practice language expansion skills by practicing categories with your students. After reading the book, practice sorting fruits, vegetables and junk food. You could look at what the caterpillar eats and sort food vs insects. This is a great bridge into a quick discussion on if the food eaten was healthy food or junk food.
Comparing and Contrasting – As you read through this story, compare and contrast the food. Discuss with your students how two foods are the same and different (EXAMPLE: Both the strawberry and apple are red, but a strawberry is soft and an apple is crunchy.)

3. Happy to Be Me

Happy to Be Me by Emma Dodd is a great way to work on identifying different body parts which are functional words that might be some of your students’ first words. The story goes through each body part and thanks each of them for the amazing things that they help us do. Plus the best part is the book teaches our students to celebrate what makes them, them!

Practice TH Articulation with the “Thank You” repetition in this story.

Language Skills:

Body Part Vocabulary – Use this story to go over the following body parts: mouth, toes, thumbs and fingers, hands, ears, eyes, head, nose, tongue, legs, lips, teeth
Rhyming – Practice rhyming with your student and highlight the multiple rhymes in the story as well: wiggle/giggle, to/you, hold/told, smell/well, lap/nap, chew/you, above/love.

4. Press Here

Press Here by Herve Tullet is one of those favorite interactive books that many Speech Pathologists love to use when working in the schools and is a huge hit with younger children. This is a silly book filled with verbs allowing your child to work on their language development by following directions of the action given, such as press here and then making more dots appear on the next page.

Colors – This book is great for your young children who need a little extra help working on identifying colors. Simply give them a simple direction, such as “Touch the red dot.”
Following Directions – Read the story and have your student follow the 1-step directions. For example, “blow on the page” or “tap the circle.” Some of the directions do get a little more complex, such as “tap only the yellow circles” or “tilt the book to the left”.
Basic Concepts – Descriptive Concepts (small, medium, large, colors, gently, hard), Quantity Concepts (counting, all, just, only, more, once, twice), Location Concepts (left, right, middle).
Vocabulary Action Verbs – shake, tap, blow, rub, turn, tilt, or clap.
Past Tense Verbs – Have the student retell you what action they or their classmate just took. For example, Sam could say, “Jason just tapped the red dot.”
Answering WH-Questions – Ask your student’s simple questions about what they or their classmate just did. For example, “What color of dot did you just tap?”
Predicting – Have the child or student try to predict what will happen before you turn the page. “What do you think will happen next?” My students always loved the fun element of surprise when reading this story.
Expressive Language – Expressive language is an important skill to work on your student’s communication skills. Start by having your student explain what happened on each page. For example, if you have them tap the red circle 5 times and the next page shows 5 red circles in a line your student could explain that when they tapped the red circle 5 times it made 5 individual circles appear on the following page.

5. Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is perfect for all of those language therapy goals on your caseload. The repetitive text helps children with speech disorders to anticipate what might come next in the story.

Articulation

B Sound – bear, bowl, balloon
G Sound & G-Blends – goodnight, great, green
L Sound – little, light, lady, old, telephone, balloon, bowl, full
M Sound – mitten, mouse, mush, moon, jumping, comb, room
Vocabulary – As you go through the story, have your child or student label the different household items, toys, animals, and clothing. (moon, light, clock, sock, star, bear, chair, red balloon, cow, telephone, mittens, toy house, comb, house, and brush).
Prepositions – There is a mouse hidden in every picture which is great for working on prepositional phrases.
Colors – This book is great for your young children working on identifying colors. Simply have them sort the different vocabulary words by color.
Categorization – As you read the story, have your student category sort the different vocabulary words into one of the following categories, such as toys, clothing, animal, or furniture.

Here are a few additional ideas to expand on the book activity.

Categorization – Give your child or student a room within their school or their house and have them say night night while naming 3-5 objects within each room. For example, if you give them the kitchen they could say, “night night refrigerator”, “night night oven”, “night night toaster”, etc.
Following Directions – If you have a play house or toy animals you could give the student a 1-step or 2-step direction to follow using the toy objects. For example, “put the bear on the chair.”

6. A Bad Case of Stripes

A Bad Case of Stripes (Scholastic Bookshelf)

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon is one of the best books for student’s with a communication disorder working on different perspectives and making inferences. You could have your older students work on interpreting facial expressions and talk about how other people might feel in a given situation.

Why do you think Camilla got stripes?
What do you think will happen when she goes to school?
What could cure Camilla?
Why did the old lady give Camilla lima beans?
Vocabulary – There are some great vocabulary words to target while reading this story! Look for lima beans, examine, normal, experts, therapist, afraid, specialists, multi-colored.
Sequencing – To practice sequencing, have students sequence the events in order of first, next, then, and last.

Social Skills:

Identify Facial Expressions – A good reason to work on facial expressions is that it helps your students interpret how others feel.

7. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen is perfect if you’re looking for one of those repetitive books that you can use in therapy over and over again. This book follows a family getting out into nature and exploring the world before coming back home.

B Sound – bed, beautiful, bear, big, back, bedroom, and stumble.
S-Blends – snowstorm, stairs, splosh, splash, swishy-swashy, stumble, squelch, squelch, and scared.
K Sound – cave, covers, catch, can’t, back, dark, and thick.
W Sound – wavy, wet, we’re, what, whirling, and we.
Story Retell/Sequencing – Due to the repetitive nature of the book along with a clear sequence of events makes this story a great one for story retelling/sequencing.
Spatial Concepts – Have the student practice putting the bear, “over”, “under”, “through”, “up”, “down”. You can grab a bear cutout here .
Descriptive Words/Opposites – As you come across the different descriptive words throughout the text have your students identify the opposites for example, long/short, cold/hot, deep/shallow, wavy/straight, thick/thin, big/little, dark/bright, wet/dry, narrow/wide.
Answering WH-Questions – Ask your students wh-questions. For example, “who is going on a bear hunt?”, “what animal are they hunting?”, “where are they now?”
Vocabulary – As you go through the story, have your child or student label the different nature nouns (snowstorm, bear, mud, cave, grass, river, forest, and trees. You can grab some of these vocabulary words from this Boardmaker Board simply sign in to download your copy here .

This book is filled with different sound effects so here are a few additional ideas to expand on the book activity.

Sound Effects – Have your child or student act out the different sound effects, such as “splashy river” or “howling snowstorm”.
Prepositions – Have your child act out the different prepositions (over, under, and through) with hand gestures or have your child on a bear hunt by printing out some bear pictures or grab a couple of stuffed animal bears and hide them around the house. Then have your child tell you where they found the bears. For example, “the bear was under the chair”.

9. The Little Old Lady That Wasn’t Afraid of Anything

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

The Little Old Lady That Wasn’t Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams and Megan Lloyd is one of the best children’s books out there. This story follows a little old lady who goes on a walk through the forest looking for herbs, nuts, and seeds and on her way home meets various clothing items that try to scare her, but she keeps telling them that she is not afraid of anything! This book is great for your older children who wouldn’t be afraid of scary clothing items following a lady home.

BONUS: If you like this story then it would be worth it to check out the different old lady series of books to add to your list of great speech therapy books. Covering the following favorite topics: There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Clover, There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bell, There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Rose, There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Chick, There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Turkey, etc.

L Sound – lady, little, left, long, look, locked, old, walk, suddenly, stumbled, whistled, bravely, silly, middle, wiggle, still
L-Blends – clomp, gloves, sliver, black, clap, closed
S Sound – seeds, suddenly, so, safe, sat, saw, said, seemed, forest, whispered, whistled, inside, once, nuts, pants, pace, us
S-Blends – spices, started, stopped, stop, sliver, stumbled, scary, scare
Z Sound – closed, was, herbs, spices, seeds, shoes, gloves
R Sound – ran, rocked, afraid, afternoon, forest, orange, early, farther, through, shirt, scary, started, sliver, herbs, dark, whispered, garden, her, far, were, hear, faster, near, door, chair, fire, answer, ear
T Sound – time, two, talk, tall, afternoon, cottage, started, faster, nuts, pants, startled, brighten, whistled, left, not, went, forest, collect, night, shirt, white, hat, out, quite, fast, sat, quiet, next
Clothing Vocabulary – As you go through the story, have your child or student label the different clothing items (gloves, hat, shoes, pants, shirt).
Verbs – Have the student retell you what action each clothing item took. For example, “The pants wiggled.” To take it one step further you could have the child act out the action verb.
Answering WH-Questions – Ask your students wh-questions. For example, “Which item goes clap, clap?”, “Why was the old lady in the forest?”, “Where was the old lady headed to after it got dark?”, or “What action does the hat do?”
Sound Effects – Have your child or student act out the different sound effects, such as “pants wiggling” or “gloves clapping”. (Shoes – stomp your feet, Pants – wiggle your body, Shirt – shake your arms, Hat – nod your head, Gloves – clap your hands).
Categorization – If you have some play clothes or pictures of clothing items you could have the child practice separating out the clothes into different categories. For example, you could have your child or student identify clothing that fall into summer clothes versus winter clothes.

Digital Version: Ends at 3:45

11. Dear Zoo

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell is one of those highly engaging flap books about a young boy who writes to the zoo asking them to send him a pet. The illustrations along with the lifting of the flaps helps to encourage joint attention in a fun and interactive way.

B Initial – This book is perfect for working on the b sound, because on every page you send the animal ‘back’ and each animal comes in a ‘box’.
Basic Concepts – You can have the child or student work on the concepts ‘ open ’ and ‘ close ’ as they use the flaps. In addition, each animal is given a description, such as “the elephant is too big ” or “the giraffe is too tall ” allowing the student to work on even more concepts.
Answering WH-Questions – This book is perfect for wh-questions. For example, after reading the story together you could ask, “Why couldn’t the boy keep the giraffe for a pet?” The child could then answer, “Because the giraffe is too tall and it couldn’t fit through the front door of my house.”
Answering Yes/No Questions – As you go through the story you could point to an animal and then ask a yes or no question about that specific animal. For example, you could point to the elephant and ask is an elephant purple?
Vocabulary – You can have your child or student practice filling in the blanks at the end of the repetitive sentences by naming the animal under the flaps.
Multisyllabic Words – Another fun activity you could try would be to count or clap out the number of syllables in naming each animal. For example, el-e-phant has 3 syllables.
Categorization – Categorization is a great vocabulary activity. Have your child or student identify animals that fall in all three animal categories of pets, farm animals, and zoo animals. If you have some play animals you could have the child practice separating out the play animals into the different categories.
Reasoning Skills – You could also work on reasoning skills by asking your student what their favorite animal is and have them explain why it is their favorite animal.
Nursery Rhymes – You could even throw in a nursery rhyme, such as Hey, Diddle, Diddle and categorize the animals or make their symbolic noises as well for some extra fun!

12. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst is all about a boy named Alexander who ends up having one thing after another go wrong. However, it might make these very bad days easier when you know it happens to other people as well.

Why did the author write a story about a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day?
Is there a lesson we can learn from the story?
Did Alexander behave appropriately?
Is there any time in the story when he could have behaved differently? Would this have helped make the day better?
Did he make good choices?
What did Alexander’s mother say to help him solve his problem?
Could she have said something that would have helped him solve his problem?
Sequencing – After reading the story, have students practice sequencing by ordering the events first, next, then, to last.
What happened to Alexander’s sweater?
What did Alexander find in his cereal box?
What number did Alexander skip when counting at school?
What did Alexander draw in his invisible picture?
Vocabulary – This story is filled with some great vocabulary practice words such as cereal, sailboat, skateboard, shoestore, downstairs, carsick, crybaby, railroad, undercover, cupcakes

Language Expansion:

For language expansion, carry on from your prediction lesson and predict that Alexander wakes up the next morning to the start of a great day! Have your students write a story about his day. You could also prompt your students to write a story about a terrible, no good, very bad day in their own life. How would their day go badly from waking up to going to bed to fall asleep? Have them title their own story similarly.

13. Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are: A Caldecott Award Winner

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a fun and exciting book all about a boy named Max who dresses up in a wolf outfit and pretends to set sail to an island inhabited by Wild Things who end up naming Max king.

R Articulation: rolled, roared, room, forest, terrible, around, mother, year, far, supper
R Blends Articulation: grew, private, through, trick, frightened
When did Max sail off?
Who called Max a wild thing first?
Who did Max threaten to eat?
Where did Max go in his boat?
Why did Max’s mother send him to bed?
What did the wild things do when they saw Max?
Vocabulary – Practice the following vocabulary words with your students: mischief, private, wild, terrible, claws, frightened, cried, supper, lonely
Story Retell – After reading the story, have your students retell it in a few sentences to practice retelling.
Compare and Contrast – Have your students compare and contrast Max to the Wild Things.

14. The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein follows the main characters a boy and a tree about the gift of giving and the acceptance of another’s ability to love in return. This book is a great read with a great message all about love and acceptance.

Vocabulary – Review these vocabulary words with your students as you read through this story: love, swing, eat, hide, sleep, play, carry, shake, cut, sail, sit, rest, build, speak
What do you think Shel Silverstein wanted us to learn from reading this story?
How did the boy treat the tree throughout the story?
Why do you think the tree is so giving to the boy?
What problems were solved for the boy by the tree?
What could the tree have done differently?
Did the tree have to give all of herself away?
Story retell – After reading the story, have your students retell it in a few sentences to practice retelling.
Compare and Contrast – Compare and contrast the boy vs the tree.

Great Resource List

If you want additional effective tools or resources that go along with these great stories to work on your student’s specific targets then be sure to check out the following freebies.

If you need other children’s speech therapy book lists then you will want to check out my complete list of 15+ interactive books for speech therapy .

Little Kids

Here are a few different ways to work on your child’s ability to retell past events using these fun visuals.

Sequencing and Retelling Short Stories FREEBIE by Speech Language Lady is a great short story for story to read and then practice retelling in sequential order. Cut and glue the story back into order to practice retelling with your young students.
The Mitten – Retell a Story by Building a Foundation is a whole retell activity to set that accompanies a short story. Print in color or black and white!
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Retelling Pictures and Story Cards by Courtney N is a clear, ready to go activity to help teach retelling. This includes free story cards and a pocket chart station to be used with a big group when reading the story.
Retell Story Hands by Blue SKies with Jennifer White is an activity that uses hands to identify the setting, plot and characters to help students gather details to retell the story.

In Conclusion: Children’s Books for Speech Therapy

We hope you have found this article helpful for finding some awesome children’s books for speech therapy and the best way to use each book within your next therapy session.

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The Best Handout for Phonological Processing Disorder Therapy

Sample Header Text

Speech sound disorders in children.

For forty years, this textbook has been the gold-standard resource for providing speech-language pathologists with a strong foundation of knowledge on speech sound disorders. Previously published as Articulation and Phonological Disorders , this core text is now in its ninth edition, fully updated and expanded to meet the needs of today’s clinicians as they work with children of all ages.

$89.95

7008KB --> $89.95

Product Details
Table of Contents
Contributors
Free Resources
Companion Materials

STOCK NUMBER	ISBN
55118	978-1-68125-511-8
COPYRIGHT	PAGES
2022	584
AVAILABILITY
Available Stock

A cornerstone of every SLP’s professional preparation, the new edition of this book offers the most up-to-date, comprehensive coverage of contemporary clinical literature and the best available treatments for speech sound disorders. With a focus on evidence-based practice, the expert authors and contributors present essential information and guidelines on a broad range of topics, from the basics of typical speech production to recommended practices for assessment and intervention. Updates include new and expanded chapters on timely topics, new instructor materials and student-friendly features, and helpful guidance for clinicians serving an increasingly diverse population.

With this authoritative synthesis of research and practice, the next generation of SLPs will have the broad and deep knowledge they need to understand speech sound disorders and provide children with the best possible supports and interventions.

All chapters fully updated with the latest research and recommended practices
New chapter on treatment of childhood apraxia and speech sound disorders in older children
Expanded guidance on evidence-based practices and treatment basics
More on motor-based approaches to treatment
Extended discussion of language variation and dialect
New chapter on accent modification
New student-friendly features such as learning objectives and clinical vignettes to demonstrate treatment practices
Updated Online Instructorâs Resource Manual and Test Bank

SELECTED TOPICS COVERED: fundamentals of typical speech production and acquisition • specific factors associated with speech sound disorders, including motor abilities, cognitive-linguistic factors, and psychosocial factors • classification and comorbidity in speech sound disorders • assessment and data collection procedures • using assessment data to make sound decisions about intervention • using evidence-based practices in treatment • motor-based treatment approaches • linguistically based treatment approaches • treatment of childhood apraxia of speech • phonological awareness development and intervention • assessment and intervention considerations for children from culturally and linguistically diverse populations • accent modification for second language learners

INSTRUCTOR MATERIALS INCLUDED: Faculty can easily incorporate this text into their course with the fully updated online Instructor's Resource Manual and Test Bank. Included are key points, discussion topics, and instructional ideas for each chapter, plus a bank of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.

Need the book before November? The ebook of Speech Sound Disorders in Children will be available in August, just in time for your fall classes.

CSD 541 Speech Sound Disorders
SHLD 635 Articulation and Speech Sound Disorders
CSD 612 Articulation and Phonological Disorders
Key points, discussion topics, and instructional ideas for each chapter
A bank of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions

Children’s Books for Speech Therapy: The Ultimate List

If you are a speech-language pathologist searching for the best children’s books for speech therapy, check out this blog post! Using books during speech therapy sessions provide a fun way to target articulation and language goals. This article explains why SLPs might use children’s books in speech therapy. Additionally, it provides suggestions for how to use books in speech therapy, as well as suggestions for actual books that target a variety of speech and language skills. There are books listed by target speech sound. Additionally, there are book suggestions for vocabulary development, story retell, sequencing, spatial concepts, wordless picture books, imitating actions, gestures, and sounds, and books that promote diversity and inclusion. Finally, this blog post provides links to 5 websites that SLPs or other educators might use to access free digital libraries.

This blog post contains a list of the best children's books for speech therapy.

This post contains affiliate links, which means we could receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended.

Why Speech Pathologists Use Children’s Books in Speech Therapy

Books are such a wonderful tool to use with children who have language delays. In fact, shared book reading has been found to have a positive impact on receptive and expressive language skills .

When we read books aloud to children, we are exposing them to a ton of new vocabulary that they wouldn’t typically hear in conversation! The more exposure and direct instruction children have to new vocabulary words ( especially tier II vocabulary words), the better! Think about it: how often would your students hear the word ‘huddle’ in their day to day? But exposure to new vocabulary will also help increase literacy skills! SLPs also know how important vocabulary instruction is, and that it needs to be interactive and fun. Students have to be able to do more than spit out definitions. They need to actually make connections between words and their meanings .

In addition to encouraging vocabulary development, books also provide a wonderful way to increase narrative skills. Skills like retelling stories, summarizing, and sequencing can be directly taught through appropriate children’s books.

Books can also be a fantastic tool for targeting comprehension goals.

Speech sound targets can be addressed using books as well during speech therapy sessions.

Finally, books provide a fun way to keep kids engaged during speech therapy sessions.

How To Use Books in a Speech Therapy Session

It’s easy to incorporate books in a speech therapy session! Engaging stories encourage language learning. Children’s books are a wonderful way to target a variety of speech and language objectives.

Here are some ideas that school SLPs could try during therapy sessions in academic settings or outpatient speech therapy:

Identify tier II vocabulary in the book. Discuss the definitions of unknown vocabulary terms both before, and during, a story read-aloud. Have the students write target vocabulary words on index cards, and draw pictures or write sentences to pair with that definition.
Incorporate the strategy of dialogic reading into your story read-aloud.
Find any target word that pairs with a specific speech sound. Write those words on a dry-erase board while reading, then review them after the story read aloud.
Discuss any figurative language while reading a story aloud.
Sort pictures related to the book into different categories. For example, if reading The Little Blue Truck, one might sort farm animal pictures and vehicle pictures into separate piles.
Answer comprehension questions about the story.
Review the story grammar elements using a graphic organizer (plot, setting, point of view, characters, and conflict).
Have students retell the story using their own words. Provide a list of transition words to help them out.
Describe story characters or objects using a multisensory tool, such as the Expanding Expression Toolkit.

The Best Children’s Books for Speech Sounds and Articulation Therapy

Did you know that children with speech sound disorders sometimes struggle with storytelling? That can be an issue because storytelling and reading success go hand in hand !

SLPs can incorporate literacy into speech therapy sessions while targeting articulation. There are too many book options to list!

The best part is that, typically, you can use (almost) any book of your choice to target any speech sound. If the text doesn’t directly state words with the target sound, then we describe what we see in the picture using our target sound.

Still, it can be super nice to have a set of books that target specific speech sounds in your therapy room. Check out the following books for articulation therapy:

P Sound-Loaded Books

“Peek a Who” by Nina Laden

“The Pout-Pout Fish” by Deborah Diesen

“Pig the Pug” by Aaron Blabey

B Sound-Loaded Books

“Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle

“Bear Snores On” by Karma Wilson

T Sound-Loaded Books

“The Tiptoeing Tiger” by Philippa Leathers

“Ten Apples Up on Top!” by Dr. Seuss

D Sound-Loaded Books

“Five Little Ducks” by Raffi

“Dinosaur Dig” by Penny Dale

K Sound-Loaded Books

“Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type” by Doreen Cronin

“Whose Chick Are You?” by Nancy Tafuri

G Sound-Loaded Books

“Giggle, Giggle, Quack” by Doreen Cronin

“Gooey Gummy Geese” by Angela Holzer

F Sound-Loaded Books

“The Foot Book” by Dr. Seuss

“Hooray for Fish” by Lucy Cousins

TH Sound-Loaded Books

“The Tooth Book” by Dr. Seuss

“The Mighty Thor” by Billy Wrecks

S Sound-Loaded Books

“The Seals on the Bus” by Lenny Hort

“Silly Sally” by Audrey Wood

S-Blend Sound-Loaded Books

“Sneezy the Snowman” by Maureen Wright

“There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Spoon” by Lucille Colandro

“The Snail and the Whale” by Julia Donaldson

SH Sound-Loaded Books

“Sheep in a Jeep” by Nancy Shaw

“Sheep Blast Off!” by Nancy Shaw

“Sheep in a Shop” by Nancy Shaw

CH Sound-Loaded Books

“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

J (DJ) Sound-Loaded Books

“Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae

“Jump” by Scott M. Fisher

R and R Blend Sound-Loaded Books

“Raccoon on His Own” by Jim Arnosky

“Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson

L and L Blend Sound-Loaded Books

“Llama Llama Red Pajama” by Anna Dewdney

“There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” by Lucille Colandro

Top Childrens Books for Vocabulary Development

Books can provide engaging ways to target vocabulary knowledge and depth.

Have you checked out the ‘Bear’ series by Karma Wilson? If you haven’t, you absolutely need to!

Karma Wilson is one of my favorite children’s book authors. These are the best books for working on vocabulary development! This is because tier II vocabulary words are included in these engaging books for younger students! Tier II vocabulary words are high-frequency words that are important to target during your speech therapy session. Tier II vocabulary words are not super common in everyday conversations, but are not as specific as content-area vocabulary.

One of the best books in the ‘Bear’ series is Bear Feels Scared , but check out any that you see! Some tier II vocabulary words in “Bear Feels Scared” include “scared”, “huddle”, “tremble”, “quake”, “shiver” and “worry”. Check out this blog post to learn how to target learning new vocabulary in speech therapy .

Another great Karma Wilson book is “ Bear Wants More “. Some tier II vocabulary words that a speech therapist could target during a speech and language session might include “ravenous”, “wriggle”, “gobble”, “drowsy”, “gorge”, and “sniff”.

Best Story Retell Children’s Books

Little Blue Truck is a classic book featuring a friendly blue truck and different animals that share in his adventure. In this story, Little Blue takes the time to be a friend to many farm animals and help others out (including a grumpy dump truck). Little kids find the illustrations and rhyming lines enchanting! Repetitive books are fun, as your students can help repeat lines as the story goes on. This book is a fun way to work on narrative sequence and animal sounds!

Tomie DePaola is another children’s author to check out. My favorite is The Knight and The Dragon . This book is really fun for obtaining language samples because although there are words, there are many pages that are illustrations-only and encourage children to talk about the story! The best part about this story is the unlikely best friends that pair up in the end!

P.S. Want to learn how to best assess preschool narrative skills ? Some research indicates that interactive conversations with your younger students are the preferred way to do this!

My Favorite Children’s Books for Spatial Concepts

A speech language pathologist will want to try reading “Where’s Spot?” by Eric Hill when targeting spatial concepts. This book is engaging for younger learners working on early language development. The book contains a lift-the-flap component to keep kids interested!

Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins is a great book for teaching prepositions to younger children. In this story, a hen goes for a walk while being trailed by a sneaky fox! There are tons of opportunities for discussing spatial vocabulary during a speech therapy session while looking at the pictures in this book!

An additional children’s book that targets spatial concepts (prepositions) using colorful dogs is the classic book Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman . And since children of all ages love animals, a good dog book is always a win in speech therapy!

Wordless Picture Books for Speech Therapy

Want to try using some wordless picture books? These provide a perfect way to target all sorts of objectives in articulation and language therapy!

One of my favorite wordless picture books is Chalk by Bill Thompson . Students can help tell the story while looking at the different pictures. Your students can practice using target words in a variety of sentence structures. Try writing a target word, like a conjunction, on a sticky note. Stick it onto a page and see if your student can come up with a sentence to describe the picture using that target word.

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney is another fantastic option. It includes beautifully-drawn illustrations. This story tells the tale of a lion who spares a mouse. The mouse then goes on to help free the lion later in the story.

Another wordless picture book series is the Wimmelbooks. There are no words, but each page has a TON of exciting action and characters. Younger students could simply label action words. Older students can follow characters from page to page and tell a story. Check out My Big Wimmelbook: Dinosaurs or My Big Wimmelbook- Cars and Things That Go .

Books for Imitating Actions, Gestures, Sounds, and Exclamations

SLPs know how gesture development is an important precursor to language development ! That’s why it’s important to incorporate imitating gestures into your therapy session.

I love the simple illustrations in the Leslie Patricelli board books that are just so engaging for my younger students! These are wonderful, quick books for working on expressive language or a speech disorder. Though advertised as toddler books, my younger preschoolers still loved them! These were wonderful books for my preschool students with special needs. I paired them with gestures and exclamations. Check out the silly book Yummy, Yucky to get started. Your students can imitate a thumbs up, or thumbs down gesture, and practice exclamations like “ewww!”

this book can be used to target imitating gestures during speech therapy sessions (Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli)

Hoping to try books written by SLP authors? One great pick is The Big Book of Exclamations , written by Teri Kaminski Peterson and Chris McAllister. Bonus- they’ve also written a part two ( Talk with Me! The Big Book of Exclamations 2 ). Young children will be engaged by this interactive book, and it’s easy to modify language modeling based on a child’s ability.

Dear Zoo is such a great book and another classic! It is sturdy and contains interactive, “lift the flap” features. Work on labeling animals, animal sounds, and other language or imitation skills. This board book will be a favorite for young children.

Top Children’s Speech Therapy Books for Sequencing

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This is a classic book by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle that a speech therapist might try out in therapy! The unique illustrations and engaging rhythm are very appealing to young children.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a wonderful way to discuss the life cycles of butterflies! The beautiful transformation from caterpillar to butterfly is very enchanting for children to see, and the illustrations are a hit. If you happen to own a felt board, check out these Very Hungry Caterpillar felt board pieces that can be paired with the story. This book provides a great way to work on vocabulary, sequencing, and more!

Another personal favorite is If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff . In fact, my SLP coworkers and I even dressed up as characters from the Laura Numeroff book series one year at Halloween! This is a classic story that is fun and engaging and can easily be used to address sequencing skills.

The Mitten by Jan Brett is another great children’s book that can be used to target sequence of events! Nicki loses his mitten in the snow, but many grateful animals soon snuggle inside to stay warm.

The Best Interactive Books for Speech Therapy

Are you wanting to use interactive books in speech therapy? My favorite books, both written by Bill Cotter, include Don’t Push the Button! and Don’t Push the Button: A Halloween Treat! These fun books will have your students shaking the book, pushing buttons, and shouting when instructed- and of course, they’ll be giggling the entire time!

this is a fun interactive book for speech therapy that can be used with preschool and elementary speech and language students (Don't Push the Button by Bill Cotter)

Another fun interactive book option that speech language pathologists could recommend that parents try at bedtime is Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson .

Best Children’s Books for Speech Therapy that Promote Diversity and Inclusion

Check out Max and the Tag-Along Moon by Floyd Cooper ! This is a comforting story about a little boy and his grandpa. The swervy-curvy car ride home and the beautiful text and illustrations will make this story a favorite in your speech therapy room!

The children’s book Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña is absolutely worth checking out! In this story, a boy and his grandmother take a bus ride after church through a busy city. Along the way, he meets many diverse people. At his final stop, his grandmother encourages him to see the beauty in his surroundings.

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold is a wonderful book where children from all backgrounds go to a school that promotes love and inclusion. It promotes being kind to all, despite our differences.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales has the most beautiful illustrations! This is the inspiring true story of the author who immigrated to the United States with her son. They had to be resilent and faced times of confusion and lonliness in a new country. They discovered the public library and an enthusiastic love for books and reading, which allowed them to have hope and finally feel at home.

Best Books for Upper Elementary

In case you missed it, I reviewed my f avorite books for upper elementary students in a previous post . In that post, I provided suggestions for how to use books in speech therapy with older students. I also provided a list of my absolute favorite books to use with 4th and 5th graders. Make sure to check it out!

5 Websites with Free Digital Libraries for SLPs and Educators

Although I always prefer a hard copy of a book if possible, it doesn’t hurt to know how to access a digital copy! This is especially important for a busy speech pathologist who travels between buildings.

Here are a list of websites or apps that school SLPs and educators might wish to check out for free digital copies of books:

Open Library is one possible option for SLPs or other educators ( https://openlibrary.org/ )
Project Gutenberg has a library of over 70,000 free e-books! ( https://www.gutenberg.org/ )
Check out Storyline Online, which features videos with well-known actors reading stories aloud ( https://www.storylineonline.net/ )
Epic! is a must-check out digital library site that is free for educators! ( https://www.getepic.com/ )
Check out Bookshare, a federally-funded library of ebooks that is FREE for educators! ( https://www.bookshare.org/ )

Incorporating Yoga and Children’s Books into Speech Therapy Sessions

Speech pathologists can pair this yoga mat book companion with any book. It’s the perfect way to target story retell and story elements!

First, your student will listen to the story. Then, he will identify the characters, setting, and problem. He will additionally describe events in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Finally, your student will explain the solution to the problem and identify any lessons learned from the story.

After each part of the story retell task, your student will complete a yoga pose!

This is a yoga mat book companion for speech therapy. It can be used for story retell and story elements. Created by The Pedi Speechie

In summary, Speech-Language Pathologists often use children’s books in speech therapy. Books can provide an engaging way to promote language skills, speech sound skills, and literacy. SLPs might wish to target a variety of speech and language objectives using a book during a speech therapy session.

Scroll up to read a list of suggested books sorted by target goal area for speech therapy. Finally, SLPs might wish to access free digital libraries in addition to reading paper copies of the best children’s books.

Speech therapists may also wish to read about the best books for 4th and 5th graders .

Thanksgiving Speech Therapy Activities | Following Directions | Main Idea and Supporting Details

Thanksgiving is here- are you celebrating in your speech therapy room? I’ve got some engaging Thanksgiving Speech Therapy activities that I KNOW you’ll want to try- because my students have been LOVING these! Working on following directions? Working on main idea and supporting details? I’ve got you covered! You might have enjoyed my Following Directions…

Free Christmas Speech Therapy Activities | #slpchristmashop

Christmas is nearly here! We are so excited to bring some festive, fun FREEBIES to your speech therapy room! Did you join us previously for our #slphalloweenhop? I teamed up- AGAIN- with some incredible SLPs to bring you some amazing Christmas-themed speech and language packets! You are going to absolutely LOVE all of these engaging…

Read This Quick List of 9 Neither Nor Sentences Examples

Are you a speech-language pathologist, intervention specialist, or teacher searching for neither nor sentences examples? This blog post defines correlative conjunctions. It provides example sentences using a variety of different correlative conjunctions, as well as different ideas for teaching conjunctions. Understanding how to use conjunctions isn’t just important for formal writing skills. This is an…

Halloween Speech Language Therapy Ideas

Speech and Language Therapy If you’re looking for some Halloween Speech and Language Therapy Ideas, you’ve come to the right place! I’m excited to share some of my favorite Halloween speech therapy activities and ideas with you. Halloween Speech Language Therapy Activities Whether you’re looking for some “easy to create” speech therapy activities, or some…

This is a blog post that targets wh questions speech therapy activities. It also provides ideas for speech therapy

The Best WH Questions Speech Therapy Activities and Ideas

Speech-language pathologists often teach wh- questions in speech therapy sessions. There are different types of wh questions. WH questions contain the wh question words: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. A qualified speech-language pathologist may target wh questions in therapy to support language development. The ability to answer wh questions is very important for…

Speech is Beautiful

7 Popular Books Related to Speech Therapy and Communication Disorders

Start a Speech Therapy Book Club!

After I graduated with my masters, a group of us speech paths formed a book club focused on books that somewhat related to communication disorders. We would meet and talk about the book, but then we ended up just chatting about our lives. Unfortunately, I had to leaving the group because I moved too far away. Here are some books that would be great for a book club. The books have to do with speech therapy and the clients we serve:

7 Books Related to Communication Disorders

1) Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin (2006)

The classic book written by the legendary Dr. Temple Grandin. When I read this book, I felt like I was getting to look inside the brain of a person who has autism. It’s riveting and a must-read for anyone who works with people with autism.

2) The Diving Bell and The Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby (1998)

Ever wonder what it’s like to be stuck in your body and without the ability to communicate with those around you? The author is a man who had Locked In Syndrome, which meant that after a stroke he was cognitively intact, but unable talk or move his hands or face. He used eye blinking to communicate and he wrote this book with his eyes. The story was so vivid that I was unable to finish it. Actually, there is a movie based on the book.

3) Schuyler’s Monster: A Father’s Journey with his Wordless Daughter by Robert Rummel-Hudson (2008)

Mr. Rummel-Hudson’s daughter has a condition that makes verbal speech almost impossible. In his book, he recounts how they found out and what technology they use to allow Schuyler to communicate with the world. I enjoyed the book immensely and I still follow along on his blog to keep up to date on Schuyler.

4) Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison (2007)

I’m a memoir junkie! That’s why I liked this book. It’s not a technical manual, but a story about how someone who thinks a little differently makes sense of the world.

5) The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks (1970)

If you haven’t read anything by Oliver Sacks, I recommend this book. I read it a very long time ago for a psychology class, but by now it’s pretty much a classic. It’s interesting to read about different psychological disorders and think about how funny brains really are.

6) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: A Novel by Mark Haddon (2003)

Keep in mind that this book is fiction and written about an autistic person NOT by an autistic person. However, it is a well-written, exciting page turner.

7) The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Nagoki Higashida (2013)

I have not read this book, but I’ve heard it’s a good one. It’s a first person account, but translated from Japanese to English. After I read it, I’ll report back!

What books would you add to this list?

My five favorite books for treating speech sound disorders

I know that it is easy to Google a speech sound-related question such as “what is the cycles approach?” and “tips for teaching the “k” sound”. I know, because I used to Google these things all the time!

But with so many new and updated texts about speech sound disorders (SSDs), I have that it is much more effective for me to pull information from trusted, reliable, and up-to-date sources.

The following is a list of texts that I not only highly recommend, but personally own myself. Please make sure that you read about each one, as they all have different information to offer in the area of SSDs (please note some of these contain affiliate links).

Children's Speech: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessment and Intervention

Interventions for Speech Sound Disorders in Children - 2nd edition

It is an in-depth text on HOW to implement different therapy approaches for SSDs . I feel so much more confident being able to look through this recently published book (2021) and find specific information that I need to use the approach correctly. Each chapter covers a different intervention or approach, from minimal pairs, cycles, multiple oppositions, core vocabulary, Dynamic Temporal and Tactile cueing, and articulation interventions. It includes videos that you stream from the Publisher's website so that you can see the intervention being implemented. The chapters are designed so that they all cover key information, including target populations, theoretical basis, key components of the approach, monitoring progress, and case studies.

Eliciting Sounds: Techniques & Strategies for Clinicians (2nd Edition)

the marshalla guide

This nearly 500-page volume, provides a "big picture" overview in supporting children with articulation and motor speech disorders. It is organized into sections that discuss traditional approaches and methods for working with this population, a range of methods to facilitate movement of the articulators, and specific elicitation cues and techniques for vowels and consonants. The illustrations throughout the book were incredibly useful and really helped me to understand the examples and theory. If you want a combination of research and clinical-based evidence for treating articulation and motor speech disorders, this book is very in-depth.

The late eight

This is similar in theory to the Eliciting Sounds text, however it only covers the eight sounds, but in more depth: s, z, l, j, ch, r, and th voiced & voiceless. Each sound-by-sound chapter is quite in-depth, providing not only a range of elicitation cues (e.g., key environments, metaphors, touch cues, shaping techniques) but information on acquisition and screening tests. Very comprehensive word lists! It includes a DVD with videos and a chapter to support your understanding of intervention from a motor learning perspective. An easy-to-refer-to guide for SLPs who work with school-aged children presenting with errors involving s, z, l, j, ch, r, and th voiced & voiceless.

Do you have a favourite book to recommend for treating speech sound disorders? I’m always looking to expand my reading, so please comment below and share what has been helpful for you.

Hi Rebecca!

Thanks for sharing this post about textbooks! It’s soo helpful- I’m always on the lookout for reliable info like this. I have a question.. since I practice in Spain and work with Spanish- speaking population, would these be helpful? Specifically the ones titles “Children’s Speech” and “The Marshall’s Guide.”

Thank you!!

Children’s Speech is the text that I reach to most often. It goes through assessment, analysis, and treatment for all speech sound disorders at an easy-to-understand level.

Has anybody read “ Articulatory and Phonological Impairments: A Clinical Focus”, by Jacqueline Bauman-Waengler? It is rated higher than Children’s Speech, by McLeod and Baker, on Amazon’s list of Best Sellers in Audiology and Speech Pathology. Does anybody know how these 2 books compare? I would like to buy one speech textbook, and I’m in between these two.

I have not read this book, perhaps reach out to some professors and see what their recommended text is? The 3 or 4 that I have spoken to you (both US and Australia) prescribe the McLeod & Baker text, but you could definitely do some more research and see what other SLP programs recommend.

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Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Speech and Language Disorders

Reference work entry
First Online: 05 September 2024
pp 1533–1559
Cite this reference work entry

Michelle L. Palumbo 10 ,
Maria Mody 11 ,
William M. Klykylo 12 ,
Kirrie J. Ballard 13 ,
Christopher J. McDougle 15 , 16 &
Frank H. Guenther 14

Psychiatric practice is founded upon communication, and knowledge of communication disorders is thus crucial to the psychiatric team. This is especially true for the care of children, since communication impairments are deeply interwoven in all aspects of normal development, psychopathology, and the functions of daily life. Neurodevelopmental communication disorders are classified according to the affected system (speech, language) as well as behavioral manifestations. Language disorder is characterized by lasting difficulties in language acquisition and use as a result of deficits in the production or understanding of language. Speech sound disorder (SSD) is characterized by failure to use speech sounds in a manner appropriate for one’s developmental level. Childhood-onset fluency disorder (COFD), commonly known as stuttering, is one of the most widely recognized disorders of speech and is characterized by interruptions in the normal flow of speech, including blocks, prolongations, and repetitions of words or part-words. Social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SCD) involves impaired pragmatic or social aspects of language, such as inferring humor or sarcasm during conversations or interpreting body language. All of these disorders must develop during childhood and must not be fully explainable by another medical, neurological, anatomical, psychiatric, or sensory condition. The communication disorders as a whole have a male predominance and are often familial. The evaluation and management of these disorders requires a multidisciplinary team, including a speech-language pathologist working with the psychiatrist and other team members.

This chapter is an update from the 4th edition. Previous edition authors were Michelle L. Palumbo, Maria Mody, William M. Klykylo, Christopher J. McDougle and Frank H. Guenther

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Palumbo, M.L., Mody, M., Klykylo, W.M., Ballard, K.J., McDougle, C.J., Guenther, F.H. (2024). Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Speech and Language Disorders. In: Tasman, A., et al. Tasman’s Psychiatry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51366-5_86

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Committee on the Evaluation of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability Program for Children with Speech Disorders and Language Disorders; Board on the Health of Select Populations; Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Institute of Medicine; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Rosenbaum S, Simon P, editors. Speech and Language Disorders in Children: Implications for the Social Security Administration's Supplemental Security Income Program. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2016 Apr 6.

Cover of Speech and Language Disorders in Children

Speech and Language Disorders in Children: Implications for the Social Security Administration's Supplemental Security Income Program.

Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press

1 Introduction

Speech and language are central to the human experience; they are the vital means by which people convey and receive knowledge, thoughts, feelings, and other internal experiences. Acquisition of communication skills begins early in childhood and is foundational to the ability to gain access to culturally transmitted knowledge, to organize and share thoughts and feelings, and to participate in social interactions and relationships. Speech and language skills allow a child to engage in exchanges that lead to the acquisition of knowledge in his or her community and the educational arena. Communication skills are crucial to the development of thinking ability, a sense of self, and full participation in society.

Speech and language disorders—disruptions in communication development—can have wide-ranging and adverse impacts on the ability not only to communicate but also to acquire new knowledge and participate fully in society. Most children acquire speech and language by a seemingly automatic process that begins at birth and continues through adolescence. Typically, basic communication skills are developed (although not complete) by the time a child enters kindergarten, enabling the child to begin learning from teachers and interacting fluently with peers and caregivers ( Oller et al., 2006 ). Severe disruptions in speech or language acquisition thus have both direct and indirect consequences for child and adolescent development, not only in communication but also in associated abilities such as reading and academic achievement that depend on speech and language skills. When combined with other developmental risks, such as poverty ( Williams, 2013 ), severe speech and language disabilities can become high-impact, adverse conditions with long-term cognitive, social, and academic sequelae and high social and economic costs.

STUDY CONTEXT

Like other entitlement programs, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program has generated considerable and recurring interest in its growth, effectiveness, accuracy, and sustainability. Questions have arisen in both the media and policy-making settings regarding the appropriateness of SSI benefits for children with speech and language disorders.

As an example, the Boston Globe published a series of articles in December 2010 describing the experiences and challenges of families who either were currently receiving or had sought to become eligible to receive SSI benefits for their children. These articles focused on the growing number of children enrolled in SSI on the basis of speech and language disorders. In response to issues raised in these articles, members of Congress directed the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an assessment of the SSI program for children. This assessment was designed to examine decade-long trends in the rate of children receiving SSI benefits based on mental impairments; 1 the role played by medical and nonmedical information, such as medication use and school records, in the initial eligibility determination; and steps taken by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to monitor children's continued eligibility based on disability.

The GAO assessment was conducted between February 2011 and June 2012. Midway through the assessment, on October 27, 2011, the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the House Ways and Means Committee convened a hearing on SSI for children, including an interim report by the GAO on its findings regarding the SSI program for children. In that report, the GAO found that between 2000 and 2011, the annual number of children applying for SSI benefits had increased from 187,052 to 315,832. Of these applications, 54 percent had been denied.

The GAO also found that mental impairments constituted approximately 65 percent of all child SSI allowances. The three most prevalent primary mental impairments 2 for children found eligible were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech and language impairments, 3 and autism/developmental delays. 4 From December 2000 to December 2011, the total number of children receiving SSI benefits for mental impairments had increased annually, from approximately 543,000 in 2000 to approximately 861,000 in 2011, an almost 60 percent increase. Secondary impairments were present for many of those found medically eligible. In addition, the GAO estimated that in 2010, 55 percent of children with speech and language impairments who received SSI benefits had an accompanying secondary impairment recorded; 94 percent of those recorded secondary impairments were other mental disorders.

In its final report, the GAO suggested that several factors may have contributed to the observed changes in the size of the SSI program for children, including

long-term receipt of assistance, with fewer children leaving the disability program prior to age 18;
increased numbers of children living in poverty in the United States;
increased awareness and improved diagnosis of certain mental impairments;
a focus on identifying children with disabilities through public school special education services; and
increased health insurance coverage of previously uninsured children.

The GAO found an increase between 2000 and 2010 in both applications and allowances (applicants determined to meet the disability criteria) for children with speech and language impairments ( GAO, 2012 ). During this period, the number of applications for speech and language impairments increased from 21,615 to 49,664, while the number of children found to meet the disability criteria increased from 11,565 to 29,147 ( GAO, 2012 ). The cumulative number of allowances for children with speech and language impairments has continued to increase. In December 2014, 213,688 children were receiving benefits as the result of a primary speech or language impairment (16 percent of all children receiving SSI benefits) ( SSA, 2015 ). The factors that contributed to these changes are a primary focus of this report and are discussed at length in Chapters 4 , 5 , and 6 .

Based on the GAO findings, the SSA determined that additional study was needed to understand the increases in the total number of children receiving SSI benefits as a result of speech and language disorders. This study was requested to meet that need.

STUDY CHARGE AND SCOPE

In 2014, the SSA's Office of Disability Policy requested that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convene a consensus committee to (1) identify past and current trends in the prevalence and persistence of speech and language disorders among the general U.S. population under age 18 and compare those trends with trends among the SSI childhood disability population; and (2) provide an overview of the current status of the diagnosis and treatment of speech and language disorders and the levels of impairment due to these disorders in the U.S. population under age 18. (See Box 1-1 for the committee's full statement of task.)

Statement of Task.

This report addresses the charge defined in the committee's statement of task. It should be noted that this report is not intended to provide a comprehensive discussion of speech and language disorders in children, but to provide the SSA with information directly related to the administration of the SSI program for children with these disorders. In addition, this committee was not charged with providing an evaluation of the SSI program or addressing any other questions related to policy or rulemaking.

Finally, it is important to note that this study was conducted at the same time that the Committee on the Evaluation of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability Program for Children with Mental Disorders study was under way. Although the two studies have related statements of task and were both sponsored by the SSA, the work was conducted by two distinct committees, which held separate meetings and underwent independent report review processes. The report Mental Disorders and Disabilities Among Low-Income Children was released in September 2015 ( NASEM, 2015 ). A brief summary of that report's key findings and conclusions is included in Appendix G .

The following subsections describe how the committee used its statement of task to guide its review and analysis and to determine the inclusion or exclusion of related or noteworthy topics.

Speech and Language Disorders and Corresponding Treatments

Numerous childhood speech and language disorders and other conditions associated with these disorders are worthy of rigorous examination. Similarly, many approaches are used to treat childhood speech and language disorders. As noted above, however, this report does not provide an exhaustive review of all such disorders or of their corresponding treatments. Rather, in accordance with the committee's statement of task, this report describes primary categories of childhood speech and language disorders that occur most commonly in the population of children served by the SSI program and provides an overview of treatments for these disorders. Therefore, the exclusion of any conditions or treatments should not be viewed as an oversight, but as a necessary narrowing of the focus of this study to the issues of greatest relevance to the SSI program.

Data and Data Sources

The committee consulted a variety of data sources to identify trends in the prevalence and persistence of speech and language disorders (prevalence and trends in prevalence are discussed below). These sources included data from clinical samples (i.e., Pennington and Bishop, 2009 ), population-based studies (i.e., Law et al., 2000 ; Tomblin et al., 1997 ), nationally representative surveys (e.g., the National Survey of Children's Health), and administrative or service-based data from federal programs (Medicaid Analytic eXtract [MAX] data, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] child count data, and the SSA's program data). These sources differ substantially with respect to how they define and/or designate speech and language disorders in children, how they collect information (e.g., parental reporting, medical records, test results), which variables are examined (e.g., level of severity or duration of disorders, child and/or family demographic information), and the period(s) of time examined, among other factors. As a result, readers of this report will encounter numbers and estimates that appear quite different from chapter to chapter. Recognizing the challenge this variation presents to readers, the committee carefully describes the different types of data and how estimates were derived throughout the report. (A full discussion of data limitations is included in Chapter 5 .)

In addition to the challenges that the committee encountered in using available data, the absence of other relevant data limited the committee's ability to generate more precise population estimates, to compare changes over time, and to conduct further analyses. This absence of data included data sources and data collection efforts that do not currently exist, as well as data that were unavailable to the committee (or to the general public).

For example, the committee's efforts to determine prevalence estimates of children with speech and language disorders could have been improved by access to a national data source derived from health services or health insurance records. Similarly, the committee's efforts to describe trends in childhood speech and language disorders could have been improved through an analysis of longitudinal data from programs (i.e., Medicaid and SSI) or national surveys. At this time, no such national-level data sources or longitudinal data collection efforts exist for these conditions.

Furthermore, the committee's efforts to document the persistence of speech and language disorders among children who receive SSI benefits and the types of treatment received by these children would have been improved by access to certain types of unpublished SSA administrative data, such as age-18 redeterminations and continuing disability reviews. However, these data were not available to the committee for the purpose of this study. Finally, the committee had access to an analysis of MAX data that included limited analyses related to speech and language disorders (see Chapter 5 ). Because these data are drawn from a study that was commissioned for another report (see NASEM, 2015 ), this committee was unable to conduct additional analyses, which would have allowed for comparisons between speech and language disorders and other health conditions.

Severity of Speech and Language Disorders

This report frequently refers to “severe” speech and language disorders in children. However, the word “severe” has different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. In clinical research, severity may be measured according to how far below average children score on tests compared with children of the same age (i.e., in standard deviations from a norm-referenced score or quotient) or “percentage of delay” relative to chronological age. In the context of the SSI program, however, the word “severe” has a specific legal meaning that is related to the standard of disability for children in the Social Security Act. Specifically, the regulations explain that “an impairment or combination of impairments must cause ‘marked and severe functional limitations' in order to be found disabling.” 5 Elsewhere, the regulations explain that “a child's impairment or combination of impairments is ‘of listing-level severity' if it causes marked limitation in two areas of functioning or extreme limitation in one such area.” 6 These areas of functioning include acquiring and using information, attending to and completing tasks, interacting and relating with others, moving about and manipulating objects, caring for himself or herself, and maintaining health and physical well-being. Chapter 4 includes an in-depth review of how children are evaluated for disability as part of the SSI eligibility determination process. Readers of the report should therefore consider the word “severe” as a clinical expression of impairment level except when it is used in the context of the SSI program.

Identifying Severe Speech and Language Disorders

When prevalence estimates (for any condition) are based on a threshold or cutoff score imposed on a continuous normal distribution, the cutoff score will necessarily determine the percentage of individuals falling above and below it. The committee used cutoffs (two and three standard deviations below the mean) that are consistent both with conventional definitions of severe disorders in medicine, psychology, and other fields and with the quantitative standards used by the SSA for defining severe speech and language disorders (see Chapter 4 ). Many researchers and organizations have noted the need to consider additional sources of evidence, including subjective judgments of functioning, in addition to norm-referenced cutoff scores. For example, the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health is one widely accepted approach to describing the severity of medical and developmental conditions ( WHO, 2001 ). This, too, is consistent with the SSA's approach, which requires qualitative evidence that is consistent with quantitative scores when the latter are available. Unfortunately, high-quality data from large, representative populations that have been assessed with both quantitative and qualitative metrics are not available.

Prevalence and Trends in Prevalence

As part of its charge, the committee was asked to “identify past and current trends in the prevalence and persistence of speech disorders and language disorders for the general U.S. population (under age 18) and compare those trends to trends in the SSI childhood disability population.” Prevalence is defined as “the number or proportion of cases or events or attributes among a given population” ( CDC, 2014 ). The term “prevalence” is often used to describe “point prevalence,” which refers to “the amount of a particular disease present in a population at a single point in time” ( CDC, 2014 ).

Given the lack of longitudinal data on speech and language disorders in SSI administrative data and the paucity of similar data for the general population, the committee determined that the best way to identify trends in prevalence using available data sources would be to examine trends in point prevalence—that is, the number of children with speech and language disorders at a given time and over time both for the general U.S. population (under age 18) and in the SSI childhood disability population. To identify trends in prevalence in these groups, the committee reviewed multiple estimates of point prevalence over time from a variety of sources, including studies using clinical samples, nationally representative surveys, and administrative or service data from federal programs (see Chapter 5 ). When these estimates are arranged in chronological order, they produce a trend line—or a trend in prevalence.

However, comparing trends in prevalence between these two populations posed a number of challenges beyond a lack of longitudinal data. These challenges, described in Chapters 4 and 5 , include inherent differences in the sample populations (e.g., socioeconomic status, levels of severity) and differences in how children with speech and language disorders are identified and categorized. In addition, many of the estimates of prevalence and trends in prevalence presented in this report lack statements of precision, such as confidence intervals or error bars. Recognizing this limitation, the committee provides detailed information regarding sample sizes and methods used to calculate estimates. These can be found in Chapters 2 and 5 and Appendixes C and D. Despite the numerous challenges and limitations, the committee used the available data to describe changes in both groups 7 over time, in accordance with its charge.

Because financial need is a basic condition of eligibility for SSI, the first step in determining eligibility is assessment of family financial status. As a result, the majority of children who receive SSI benefits are from families with a household income less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). The number of families with incomes less than 200 percent of the FPL changes over time. That is, as economic conditions deteriorate, more families join the ranks of those with incomes at or below a defined poverty level. This most recently occurred following the 2008-2009 recession in the United States. Table 1-1 presents the absolute number of children under age 18 living in poverty and the percentage of children who were below the FPL annually from 2004 to 2013. The pattern shows that the percentage of children in poverty increased after 2006, peaked in 2010, and declined afterward, although by 2013 it was well above the 2006 level ( NASEM, 2015 ).

U.S. Children Living in Poverty (below 100 percent of the federal poverty level), 2004-2013 (numbers in thousands).

This pattern suggests that more children would have met the financial eligibility criteria for SSI benefits during the period that followed the 2008-2009 recession in the United States. Thus, an increase in the number of children with speech and language disorders receiving SSI may not reflect an increase in these disorders, but instead may arise from an increased number of children with these disorders who meet the poverty threshold for SSI eligibility ( NASEM, 2015 ). However, there are no reliable estimates of the number of children living in poverty who also have speech and language disorders.

Therefore, this report examines the interaction of poverty and disability as well as changes in childhood poverty rates and the changes observed in the SSI program for children with speech and language disorders. Additional data provided in this report allow for comparisons and analyses of SSI determinations, allowances, and total child SSI recipients as a proportion of low-income populations within the United States. This discussion can be found in Chapters 4 and 5 .

Limitation of Review of the SSI Program to Children Under Age 18

As noted in the committee's statement of task, this review was limited to children under age 18, the age range served by the SSI childhood program. Therefore, data on redetermination at age 18 are not included in this report, although at age 18, SSI recipients must be reevaluated for eligibility to continue receiving SSI disability benefits as adults. One notable exception is that the committee includes program data on children and youth with disabilities served under IDEA Parts B and C; these data, which could not be disaggregated, include children and youth aged 0-21. Data related to topics beyond the scope of this review, such as continuing disability reviews and age-18 redeterminations, were not made available to the committee by the SSA.

Age of Onset

As part of its task, the committee was asked to identify the average age of onset of speech and language disorders. The onset of a disorder and its chronicity may have important implications related to the burden placed by the disorder on an individual and his or her family, as well as the types and duration of supports an individual will require. Chapter 3 reviews the evidence on persistence of speech and language disorders in children. However, the committee found that in most cases, a simplistic concept of onset does not apply to speech and language or other developmental disorders. The notion of onset of a condition implies that prior to the onset, affected individuals had these functions but then experienced a decline or loss of function. In general, developmental disorders are identified when expected functional skills in children fail to emerge. These expectations usually are based on ages when children typically begin to show these skills. The criteria for determining that a child is presenting severe and long-lasting developmental problems often allow for a period of uncertainty. The underlying factors that contribute to developmental disorders are likely to have been present well before the signs are manifest in the child's development. For example, the babbling of infants who later display severe speech disorders often lacks the consonant-like sounds (closants) seen in typically developing children ( Oller et al., 1999 ). However, there is considerable variability in typical development, so that babbling features alone cannot be used as an accurate diagnostic test for speech disorder.

A major effort in clinical research on developmental disorders has been to identify early risk factors and subclinical signs, so as to support earlier identification and treatment. This research also supports the general assumption that for most developmental disorders, identification is likely to occur during very early stages of development. Therefore, this report reviews what is known about the age of identification of speech and language disorders as it relates to expected developmental milestones. It is generally more accurate to describe the “age of identification” of a speech or language disorder than to focus on the “age of onset.” It is worth noting that the age at which a speech or language disorder is identified may be further influenced by a number of factors, including access to care, socioeconomic status, and other demographic factors.

The committee was charged with identifying the “gender distribution” of speech and language disorders in children and with assessing “how gender may play a role in the progression” of these disorders. This report highlights findings on gender distribution from clinical research and national survey data. However, the evidence base on the effects of gender on the efficacy of treatment and the progression or persistence of speech and language disorders is limited. In its review of the literature, the committee found that few studies examined differential effects of treatment on males and females or included longitudinal data that demonstrated gender differences in the persistence or progression of speech and language disorders.

State-to-State Variation in the SSI Program

Determinations of eligibility for the SSI program are managed at the state level. Through its examination of the evidence, the committee became aware that states vary considerably in the number and rate of applications leading to determinations and in the rate of allowances. This report includes some state-level data to provide an overall perspective, but it does not explore the potential factors contributing to state-to-state variation in the rates of SSI disability, which was beyond the scope of this study. Readers can refer to a recent research brief by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, The Child SSI Program and the Changing Safety Net ( Wittenburg et al., 2015 ), or to Mental Disorders and Disabilities Among Low-Income Children ( NASEM, 2015 ) for further information on geographic variation in child SSI program growth and participation.

Exclusion of Recommendations

Finally, the committee was not asked to provide the SSA with recommendations on the SSI program for children. Doing so would be beyond not only the scope of this study as laid out in the statement of task but also the expertise of this committee. Rather, the committee was tasked with gathering information and reporting on the current state of knowledge on the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of speech and language disorders in children, as well as trends in the prevalence of these disorders in children. The information presented in this report (and in the recent Academies report on trends in low-income children with mental disorders in the SSI program [ NASEM, 2015 ]) provides a solid evidentiary basis that can inform the SSA's programs and policies, as well as the work of an array of related stakeholders.

STUDY APPROACH

The study committee included 13 members with expertise in speech-language pathology, auditory pathology, pediatrics, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, epidemiology, biostatistics, neurology, neurodevelopmental disabilities, adolescent health, health policy, and special education. (See Appendix H for biographies of the committee members.)

A variety of sources informed the committee's work. The committee met in person five times: two of those meetings included public workshops to provide the committee with input from a broad range of experts and stakeholders, including parents and professional organizations; federal agencies (e.g., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the SSA, and the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders); and researchers from a range of relevant disciplines, including speech and language pathology and epidemiology. In addition, the committee conducted a review of the literature to identify the most current research on the etiology, epidemiology, and treatment of pediatric speech and language disorders. The committee made every effort to include the most up-to-date research in peer-reviewed publications. However, strong evidence was sometimes found in older studies that had not been replicated in recent years. In these instances, the older studies are cited. The committee also reviewed findings from a supplemental study using Medicaid data to create an approximate national comparison group for the SSI child population. 8 (See Chapter 5 for additional information about this supplemental study.) Finally, the committee reviewed data collected from SSI case files of children who were eligible for SSI benefits under the category of “speech and language impairment.” (See Chapter 4 and Appendix C for more information about this review.)

DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS

Language has long been described as a verbal or written code for conveying information to others, and speech refers to oral communication ( Bloomfield, 1926 ). All languages include words (vocabulary), word endings (morphology), and sentence structure (syntax), and speech includes the pronunciation of the sounds (phonemes) of the language. Language development also encompasses acquisition of the social rules for communicating and conversing in society (pragmatics). These rules include participating appropriately in conversations, as well as using and comprehending appropriate gestures and facial expressions during social interaction ( Gallagher and Prutting, 1983 ). The communication and social aspects of speech and language must be coordinated rapidly and fluently when one is speaking.

Given the complex nature of speech and language development, multiple factors can contribute to deficits in their acquisition and use (e.g., motor impairments, processing deficits, cognitive impairments). Disruptions in communication development are broadly classified as speech disorders and language disorders.

Speech disorder is defined as disruption in the production of the phonetic aspects of words, phrases, and sentences so that communication is partially or, in severe cases, completely unintelligible to listeners. Stuttering is a form of speech disorder that involves disruptions in the rate and/or fluency of speaking due to hesitations and repetitions of speech sounds, words, and/or phrases.

Language disorder is defined as impairment of expression and comprehension because of a disruption in the acquisition of vocabulary (words), word endings, and sentence structure. In severe cases of language disorder, a child experiences extreme difficulty using correct words and proper grammar and may also have difficulty comprehending what others are saying.

Box 1-2 presents the clinical definitions of speech and language disorders.

Clinical Definitions of Speech and Language Disorders.

Furthermore, speech and language disorders can be categorized as primary, meaning the disorder does not arise from an underlying medical condition (e.g., cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, hearing impairment), or secondary, meaning the disorder can be attributed to another condition (see Box 1-3 ). This report discusses both primary and secondary speech and language disorders, but it focuses mainly on speech and language disorders that are identified as the primary condition. This corresponds with the categories of speech and language disorders in the SSI program that the report examines.

Primary Versus Secondary Speech and Language Disorders.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF SEVERE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS

Speech and language disorders can have a significant adverse impact on a child's ability to have meaningful conversations and engage in age-appropriate social interaction. These disorders are serious disabilities with long-term ramifications for cognitive and social-emotional development and for literacy and academic achievement and have lifelong economic and social impacts, and these disruptions are evidenced in increased risk for learning disabilities, behavior disorders, and related psychiatric conditions. The following sections describe the variety of ways in which speech and language disorders can impact children and their families.

Impact on Social-Emotional and Cognitive Development

Child development is best viewed in the context of a dynamic interaction between social-emotional and cognitive development ( Karmiloff-Smith et al., 2014 ). A seminal paper by Sameroff (1975) brought attention to the critical role of parent–child interactions and social-communicative exchanges in children's social and emotional development. In this communicative-interactive model, social development is the direct product of parent–child (or caregiver–child) interaction ( Sameroff, 2009 ). Specifically, parent–child communication interactions, including speech and language skills, are foundational to emotional attachment, social learning, and cognitive development in addition to communication development. Communication interactions—social “back and forth” exchanges—are a natural part of parent-child communication, with more than 1 million of these parent–child exchanges occurring in the first 5 years of a child's life ( Hart and Risley, 1995 ). Figure 1-1 illustrates how social interaction between parent and child leads to the development of speech.

Example of communication-interaction for speech development.

In the decades since Sameroff's (1975) original article, the communication-interaction model has been applied to multiple aspects of development, including speech ( Camarata, 1993 ), language ( Nelson, 1989 ), the development of self ( Damon and Hart, 1982 ), and cognitive development ( Karmiloff-Smith et al., 2012 ). Karmiloff-Smith (2011) adapted the communication-interaction perspective as a means of mapping developmental processes across multiple domains of genetics and neuroimaging, as well as cognitive and linguistic abilities. In essence, she argues that dynamic communication interactions between parent and child serve not only as learning opportunities but also as the core of the genetically mediated neural phenomena occurring for childhood brain development, often referred to as neural plasticity and remodeling. Viewed in this way, communicative interchanges are fundamental to the developmental experiences that shape a child's neural architecture and, more important, brain function. Severe speech and language disorders can derail this typical cascade of development and have profound and wide-ranging adverse impacts ( Clegg et al., 2005 ).

Impacts on Literacy and Academic Achievement

Figure 1-2 illustrates the importance of language development for the development of literacy skills and the relationship of both to academic achievement across a range of subject areas. Considerable data suggest that severe speech and language disorders are associated with reading disabilities and general disruptions in literacy ( Fletcher-Campbell et al., 2009 ). In essence, reading involves mapping visual symbols (letters) onto linguistic forms (words). When the acquisition and mastery of oral vocabulary are impaired, it is not surprising that the mapping of symbols such as letters onto words is also disrupted. In addition, broader language and speech disorders can make processing the visual symbols much less efficient and disrupt their mapping onto meaning. Even after vocabulary has been acquired, cognitive problems with translating text to language can continue ( Briscoe et al., 2001 ). In languages such as English that use phonetic text, severe speech disorders also can disrupt the phonological processing associated with reading ( Pennington and Bishop, 2009 ). In sum, severe speech and language disorders often have direct or indirect adverse impacts on the development of literacy and fluid reading.

The relationship among language development, literacy skills, and academic achievement.

In addition to their direct impact on literacy, severe speech and language disorders can have a deleterious cascading effect on other aspects of academic achievement. To illustrate, in a 15-year follow-up study of children with speech and language disorders, a high percentage (52 percent) of the children initially identified with such disorders had residual learning disabilities and poor academic achievement later in life ( King, 1982 ). Similarly, Hall and Tomblin (1978) report poor overall long-term achievement in language-impaired children. More recently, a study of preterm infants with language disorders indicated multiple disruptions in subsequent achievement ( Wolke et al., 2008 ). And Stoeckel and colleagues (2013) found a strong correlation between early language problems and later diagnosis of written-language disorders. Because so much of academic achievement is predicated on acquiring information through reading and listening comprehension, early severe speech and language disorders often are associated with poor achievement beyond reading problems.

As illustrated in Figure 1-3 , the most recent data from the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education indicate that 21 percent of all special education eligibility in the United States is for speech and language impairments—three times greater than eligibility for autism or intellectual disability. Speech and language disorders are among the highest-incidence conditions among children in special education. Moreover, these data may underestimate the prevalence of speech and language disorders because the highest-incidence condition—specific learning disability—includes many students who were previously categorized as having a speech or language impairment ( Aram and Nation, 1980 ; Catts et al., 2002 ). Although mild speech and language impairments in preschool will sometimes be transient, severe forms of the disorders have a high probability of being long-term disabilities ( Beitchman et al., 1994 ; Bishop and Edmundson, 1987 ), with that probability rising with the disorder's severity.

Percentage distribution of children aged 3-21 served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B, by disability type: school year 2011-2012. SOURCE: Kena et al., 2014.

Economic and Family Impacts

In a review of the economic impact of communication disorders on society, Ruben (2000 , p. 241) estimates that “communication disorders may cost the United States from $154 billion to $186 billion per year.” Severe speech and language disorders elevate risk for a wide variety of adverse economic and social outcomes, such as lifelong social isolation and psychiatric disorders, learning disabilities, behavior disorders, academic failure, and chronic underemployment ( Aram and Nation, 1980 ; Baker and Cantwell, 1987 ; Beitchman et al., 1996 ; Johnson et al., 1999 ; Stothard et al., 1998 ; Sundheim and Voeller, 2004 ). Following a cohort of individuals with severe language disorders in childhood longitudinally through school age and adolescence and into early adulthood, Clegg and colleagues (2005 , p. 128) found that “in their mid-30s, those who had language disorders as children had significantly worse social adaptation with prolonged unemployment and a paucity of close friendships and love relationships.”

Research shows that children living in poverty are at greater risk for a disability relative to their wealthier counterparts, and that childhood disability increases the risk of a family living in poverty ( Emerson and Hatton, 2005 ; Farran, 2000 ; Fujiura and Yamaki, 2000 ; Lustig and Strauser, 2007 ; Msall et al., 2006 ; NASEM, 2015 ; Parish and Cloud, 2006 ). For example, data from the U.S. Census 2010 showed that families raising children with a disability experienced poverty at higher rates than families raising children without a disability (21.8 and 12.6 percent, respectively) ( Wang, 2005 ). At the same time, childhood poverty and the accompanying deprivations have significant adverse implications for children with disabilities and their families. Families with children with disabilities are also more likely to incur increased out-of-pocket expenses; for example, for child care or for transportation to locations with specialized medical care ( Kuhlthau et al., 2005 ; Newacheck and Kim, 2005 ). Data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs help illustrate the impact on families of caring for children with communication disorders. For example, the survey asked whether family members cut back on or stopped working because of their child's health needs. Fifty-two percent of the survey respondents whose children had “a lot of difficulty speaking, communicating, or being understood” responded affirmatively to this question ( Wells, 2015 ).

In sum, given the complex multidimensional nature of language acquisition and the integral role of speech and language across multiple domains of early child development, speech and language disorders occur at relatively high rates ( Kena et al., 2014 ). In 2011-2012, 21 percent of children served under IDEA Part B had speech or language impairments ( Kena et al., 2014 ). These disorders also are associated with a wide range of other conditions ( Beitchman et al., 1996 ), such as intellectual disabilities ( Georgieva, 1996 ), autism spectrum disorder ( Geurts and Embrechts, 2008 ; Sturm et al., 2004 ), hearing loss ( Yoshinaga-Itano et al., 1998 ), learning disabilities ( Pennington and Bishop, 2009 ; Schuele, 2004 ), ADHD ( Cohen et al., 2000 ), and severe motor conditions such as cerebral palsy ( Pirila et al., 2007 ).

NOTABLE PAST WORK

As noted earlier, in the period between 2000 and 2011, speech and language impairments were among the three most prevalent impairments in children in the SSI disability program (preceded by ADHD and followed by autism spectrum disorder) ( GAO, 2012 ). In an effort to understand these trends in comparison with trends in the general population, the SSA requested that the IOM conduct two studies: the previously mentioned study on childhood mental disorders (including ADHD and autism spectrum disorder) 9 and this study on childhood speech and language disorders. While these impairments frequently co-occur and may have similar diagnostic characteristics, the separate studies allowed two independent committees to examine distinct literatures and data sources and to review different standards of care and treatment protocols. The study on children with mental health disorders was conducted from January 2014 through August 2015; the final report of that study was released in September 2015 ( NASEM, 2015 ).

While this report is the first examination of the SSI disability program for children with speech and language disorders conducted by the Academies, the IOM, and the National Research Council (NRC) have a long history of studying issues related to disability in children and adults and the SSA's disability determination process. In addition to the recently released Mental Disorders and Disabilities Among Low-Income Children ( NASEM, 2015 ), earlier reports by the IOM and the NRC that informed this committee's work include The Dynamics of Disability: Measuring and Monitoring Disability for Social Security Programs ( IOM and NRC, 2002 ), The Future of Disability in America ( IOM, 2007b ), Improving the Social Security Disability Decision Process ( IOM, 2007a ), HIV and Disability: Updating the Social Security Listings ( IOM, 2010b ), Cardiovascular Disability: Updating the Social Security Listings ( IOM, 2010a ), and Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination ( IOM, 2015 ). Along with this earlier work of the Academies, the committee drew important lessons from the body of data and research aimed at identifying trends in the prevalence and persistence of speech and language disorders, as well as addressing diagnosis and treatment of and levels of impairment associated with these disorders.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

1-1. Developmental disorders are identified when expected functional skills in children fail to emerge. 1-2. Underlying factors that contribute to developmental disorders are likely to have been present well before the signs are manifest in the child's development. 1-3. In a 15-year follow-up study of children with speech and language disorders, 52 percent of the children initially identified with such disorders had residual learning disabilities and poor academic achievement later in life. 1-4. Twenty-one percent of all special education eligibility in the United States is for speech and language impairments—three times greater than eligibility for autism or intellectual disability.

Conclusions

1-1. It is generally more accurate to describe the “age of identification” of a speech or language disorder than to focus on the “age of onset.” 1-2. Mild speech and language impairments in preschool will sometimes be transient; severe forms of these disorders have a high probability of being long-term disabilities.

ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT

This report consists of six chapters. It is organized to provide readers with important background information on speech and language disorders in children in the general population before describing the subset of children with severe speech and language disorders who receive SSI benefits. To take readers through this progression, the report describes the SSI program in some detail. This description is intended to orient readers to the determination process that shapes the population served by the program: children with severe speech and language disorders who are also from low-income, resource-limited families. The report then compares changes over time in the prevalence of speech and language disorders in the general and SSI child populations, based on the best evidence available. The report culminates with a summary of the committee's overall findings and conclusions. The contents of each chapter are as follows:

Chapter 2 provides an overview of childhood speech and language disorders in the general U.S. population. The chapter begins with an overview of speech and language development in children. It then examines the diagnosis of speech and language disorders in children, causes and risk factors, and prevalence. The chapter also includes evidence related to common comorbidities of childhood speech and language disorders.
Chapter 3 reviews what is known about the treatment and persistence of speech and language disorders in children. This review includes current standards of care for these disorders, an overview of treatment approaches for different speech and language disorders, and expected responses to treatment.
Chapter 4 provides an overview of the SSI program for children, how it has changed over time, and how those changes have shaped the population of children receiving SSI benefits. It describes the eligibility determination process and the speech and language-related criteria that are used to evaluate children. Finally, the chapter includes case examples and a review of a random sample of case files of children who receive SSI benefits based on speech and language disorders. This information offers insight into the characteristics of children with speech and language disorders who apply for SSI and helps demonstrate the evidence considered by the SSA when making a disability determination for a case.
Chapter 5 compares trends in speech and language disorders among children (under age 18) in the general population with trends in these disorders among participants in the SSI childhood disability program. The chapter reviews the data sources used by the committee to describe the epidemiology of speech and language disorders in children in both populations. It also identifies gaps in the evidence that impede more precise estimates of trends in prevalence for speech and language disorders and comorbid conditions.
Finally, Chapter 6 provides a summary of the committee's overall findings and conclusions and their implications in the following three areas: speech and language disorders in children in the general population, speech and language disorders among children who receive SSI benefits, and comparisons between these two groups.

The report includes several appendixes. Appendix A provides a glossary of terms used throughout the report, while Appendix B includes summaries of data sources that informed the committee's work. Appendix C includes administrative/service data that the committee used to examine changes in program participation over time and national survey data that the committee used to estimate changes in prevalence over time. Appendix D provides the methods that the committee used to calculate trends in the national survey data. Appendix E includes a description of the methods used to review case files, and Appendix F lists the agendas and speakers for the committee's public workshops. A brief summary of Mental Disorders and Disabilities Among Low-Income Children , the report of the Committee on the Evaluation of the Supplemental Security Income Disability Programs for Children with Mental Disorders, is included in Appendix G . Finally, Appendix H contains biographical sketches of the committee members.

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The SSI program categorizes “speech and language impairments” as mental disorders.

See the report Mental Disorders and Disabilities Among Low-Income Children for trends in prevalence for mental disorders ( NASEM, 2015 ).

Impairment code 3153 was changed from “speech and language delays” to “speech and language impairments” in August 2015.

“Autism/developmental delays” is language drawn directly from the GAO report. However, autism spectrum disorder is a distinct neurodevelopmental disorder with distinct clinical characteristics. For further reading on autism spectrum disorder, see Mental Disorders and Disabilities Among Low-Income Children ( NASEM, 2015 ).

20 C.F.R. 416.902.

20 C.F.R. 416.925(b)(2).

In accordance with the committee's charge, this includes children with speech and language disorders of any level of severity in the general population and children with these disorders in the SSI population, whose impairments are inherently severe.

This supplemental study was commissioned by the Committee on the Evaluation of the Supplemental Security Income Disability Program for Children with Mental Disorders.

Information on the Committee on the Evaluation of the Supplemental Security Income Disability Program for Children with Mental Disorders can be found online at http://iom .nationalacademies .org/activities /mentalhealth/ssidisabilityprograms .aspx .

Cite this Page Committee on the Evaluation of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Disability Program for Children with Speech Disorders and Language Disorders; Board on the Health of Select Populations; Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Institute of Medicine; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Rosenbaum S, Simon P, editors. Speech and Language Disorders in Children: Implications for the Social Security Administration's Supplemental Security Income Program. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2016 Apr 6. 1, Introduction.
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Motor Speech Disorders: Diagnosis & Treatment

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Motor Speech Disorders: Diagnosis & Treatment 2nd Edition

ISBN-10 1111138273
ISBN-13 978-1111138271
Edition 2nd
Publisher Delmar Cengage Learning
Publication date November 1, 2011
Language English
Dimensions 7.25 x 0.5 x 9 inches
Print length 320 pages
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Editorial Reviews

About the author, product details.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Delmar Cengage Learning; 2nd edition (November 1, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1111138273
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1111138271
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.08 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.25 x 0.5 x 9 inches
#186 in Speech Communications
#349 in Audiology & Speech Pathology (Books)
#363 in Occupational Therapy (Books)

About the author

Donald b. freed.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 82% 18% 0% 0% 0% 82%
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5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 82% 18% 0% 0% 0% 0%

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They appreciate the straightforward and thorough information. Readers also appreciate the questions for each topic, treatment overviews in each chapter, and case studies.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They appreciate the straightforward, thorough information and clear concepts. Readers also mention the book provides step-by-step instructions on evidence-backed therapeutics.

"This text covers the field like no other, giving straightforward and thorough information on a difficult subject matter...." Read more

"...of speech and language pathology, this book had a great way of simplifying information for us students...." Read more

"In this textbook, Freed writes in a clear and easy to read manner while including a lot of pertinent information...." Read more

"Best Neuro book ever!!!!! So easy to read and understand . One of the first times I have read and not really had questions on an anatomy like book...." Read more

Customers find the information in the book pertinent, helpful, and easy to read. They appreciate the treatment overviews in each chapter, case studies, and step-by-step instructions on evidence.

"... Including treatment overviews in each chapter is a special benefit. The questions for each topic are helpful both to student and instructor...." Read more

"... Case studies are included and also many step by step instructions on evidence-backed therapeutic treatments...." Read more

"...So clear and easy to understand. Freed does a great job covering all the information you need to know in a great breakdown." Read more

" Full of knowledge ..." Read more

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COMMENTS

The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders
The Handbook of Speech and Language Disorders, Second Edition, provides timely and authoritative coverage of current issues, foundational principles, and new research directions within the study of communication disorders. Building upon the reputation of the landmark first edition, this volume offers an exceptionally broad and in-depth survey ...
Children's Books about Speech Disorders
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13+ Best Children's Books for Speech Therapy
SEE ALSO: 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle. 8. Good Dog, Carl. Good Dog, Carl by Alexander Day is perfect if you're looking for wordless books. Using wordless picture books can be a great first step when introducing using books in therapy.
The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders
The Handbook of Speech and Language Disorders presents a comprehensive survey of the latest research in communication disorders. Contributions from leading experts explore current issues, landmark studies, and the main topics in the field, and include relevant information on analytical methods and assessment. A series of foundational chapters covers a variety of important general principles ...
The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders, 2nd Edition
An authoritative overview of language and speech disorders, featuring new and updated chapters written by leading specialists from across the field The Handbook of Speech and Language Disorders, Second Edition, provides timely and authoritative coverage of current issues, foundational principles, and new research directions within the study of communication disorders. Building upon the ...
The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders (Blackwell Handbooks in
Building upon the reputation of the landmark first edition, The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders, Second Edition, provides timely and authoritative coverage of current issues, foundational principles, and new research directions within the study of communication disorders. This volume offers an exceptionally broad and in-depth survey of the field, presenting original chapters by ...
The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders
13 Substance Abuse and Childhood Language Disorders 296 Truman E. Coggins and John C. Thorne 14 Aphasia 317 Chris Code Part III Speech Disorders 337 15 Children with Speech Sound Disorders 339 Sara Howard 16 Dysarthria 362 Hermann Ackermann, Ingo Hertrich, and Wolfram Ziegler 17 Apraxia of Speech 391 Adam Jacks and Donald A. Robin
The Handbook of Language and Speech Disorders
Jack S. Damico, Nicole Müller, Martin J. Ball. John Wiley & Sons, Mar 1, 2021 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 704 pages. An authoritative overview of language and speech disorders, featuring new and updated chapters written by leading specialists from across the field. The Handbook of Speech and Language Disorders, Second Edition, provides ...
Speech Sound Disorders in Children
Every speech-language pathologist who works with children with speech sound disorders should own and study this book carefully. The authors clearly explain the groundbreaking research that informs current best practices for children of different ages, with a range of speech sound disorders, and from culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
Parents Guide to Speech and Language Problems
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Speech Disorders
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Children's Books Written by SLPs
The book includes tips and activities for parents and educators to encourage speech and language development. A portion of the proceeds goes to research on childhood communication disorders. Oh No! by Laura Prestia . This first book of a series is intended for children who are just beginning to develop language.
The MIT Encyclopedia of Communication Disorders
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Speech Sound Disorders: Comprehensive Evaluation and Treatment
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Children's Books for Speech Therapy: The Ultimate List
Incorporating Yoga and Children's Books into Speech Therapy Sessions. Speech pathologists can pair this yoga mat book companion with any book. It's the perfect way to target story retell and story elements! First, your student will listen to the story. Then, he will identify the characters, setting, and problem.
Children's Speech Sound Disorders 2nd Edition
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Unfortunately, I had to leaving the group because I moved too far away. Here are some books that would be great for a book club. The books have to do with speech therapy and the clients we serve: 7 Books Related to Communication Disorders. 1) Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin (2006) The classic book written by the legendary Dr. Temple Grandin.
My five favorite books for treating speech sound disorders
Children's Speech: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessment and Intervention. It provides a comprehensive overview of working with speech sound disorders. It's very easy to read and uses great clinical examples to help you make sense of and apply the theory with your everyday caseload. This text includes sixteen chapters that cover topics such ...
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Devil in Winter (Wallflowers, #3) by. Lisa Kleypas (Goodreads Author) (shelved 2 times as speech-disorder) avg rating 4.21 — 91,315 ratings — published 2006. Want to Read. Rate this book. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars.
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Introduction
Speech disorder is defined as disruption in the production of the phonetic aspects of words, phrases, and sentences so that communication is partially or, in severe cases, completely unintelligible to listeners. Stuttering is a form of speech disorder that involves disruptions in the rate and/or fluency of speaking due to hesitations and ...
Motor Speech Disorders: Diagnosis & Treatment 2nd Edition
MOTOR SPEECH DISORDERS: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, 2E offers a detailed, yet streamlined introduction to motor speech disorders. The book opens with a brief historical review of motor speech disorders, providing useful context for understanding the technology and methodology modern speech-language pathologists employ for evaluation and treatment today.
Speech Sound Disorder: Discovering and Addressing Problems
A speech sound disorder means difficulty producing and organizing certain sounds. SSDs can be broadly categorized into two types: articulation disorders and phonological disorders. Articulation disorders occur when there are difficulties in producing speech sounds, leading to challenges in pronouncing certain consonants or vowels.. Phonological disorders, on the other hand, involve patterns of ...

Children’s Books about Speech Disorders

Children’s Books about Speech Disorders:

Childhood Apraxia of Speech:

Selective Mutism

Articulation:

Great to Read to Classes That Are New to Inclusion:

Winter Speech Therapy Activities and Ideas

Spring Speech Therapy Themes

Tianna Attends The Magical Art Show

Sugarsnap The Valentine's Card Fairy

Felicia The Book Fairy

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Spiffy Speech

Books Written By Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)

Baby/Toddler Books

YA & Adult Books

Middle Grade & Miscellaneous Kids' Books

Recent Posts

13+ Best Children’s Books for Speech Therapy

Children’s Books for Speech Therapy

1. Bear Snores On

Articulation:

Language Skills

Language Expansion

Social Skills

Digital Version:

2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Articulation:

Language Skills:

3. Happy to Be Me

Language Skills:

4. Press Here

5. Goodnight Moon

Articulation

6. A Bad Case of Stripes

Social Skills:

7. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

SEE ALSO: 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle

9. The Little Old Lady That Wasn’t Afraid of Anything

SEE ALSO: 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy

Digital Version: Ends at 3:45

11. Dear Zoo

12. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

Language Expansion:

13. Where the Wild Things Are

SEE ALSO: 179+ Free Speech Therapy Wh Questions Printable

14. The Giving Tree

Great Resource List

Little Kids

In Conclusion: Children’s Books for Speech Therapy

Want Even More Lesson Plans for Speech Therapy?

Want the Best of the Bests?

Sample Header Text

Children’s Books for Speech Therapy: The Ultimate List

Why Speech Pathologists Use Children’s Books in Speech Therapy

How To Use Books in a Speech Therapy Session

The Best Children’s Books for Speech Sounds and Articulation Therapy

P Sound-Loaded Books

B Sound-Loaded Books

T Sound-Loaded Books

D Sound-Loaded Books

K Sound-Loaded Books

G Sound-Loaded Books

F Sound-Loaded Books

TH Sound-Loaded Books

S Sound-Loaded Books

S-Blend Sound-Loaded Books

SH Sound-Loaded Books

CH Sound-Loaded Books

J (DJ) Sound-Loaded Books

R and R Blend Sound-Loaded Books

L and L Blend Sound-Loaded Books

Top Childrens Books for Vocabulary Development

Best Story Retell Children’s Books

My Favorite Children’s Books for Spatial Concepts

Wordless Picture Books for Speech Therapy

Books for Imitating Actions, Gestures, Sounds, and Exclamations

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