Impact of Speech Sound Disorders on the Academic Performance of Children

Speech sound disorders (SSD) have a high prevalence and impact an individual’s capability to make and produce speech sounds, essential for humans to communicate. Children's participation in the educational environment may be restricted in children with SSD. Objectives: To determine the impact of Speech Sound Disorders on the Academic Performance of children. Methods: This Cross-Sectional study was conducted at Riphah International University, Islamabad, from 1st June 2024 to 30th November 2024. The study recruited a sample of n=67 children of both genders, aged 5 to 11 years, diagnosed with SSD by qualified Speech-Language pathologists (SLPs), who used standardized and clinical evaluation processes to make the diagnosis. Children of The Spirit School, The Thinking School, and ASAS International School were recruited. Their academic performance was assessed utilizing the APRS, and previous academic grades of students were also noted. The Academic Performance Rating Scale was used for data collection. SPSS version 23.0 was used for data collection. Results: Students with mild SSD demonstrated performance in higher grade ranges (51-70%), indicating negligible academic influence. Conversely, individuals with moderate SSD predominantly scored in the mid-range (41-50%), but students with severe SSD were primarily situated in the lowest grade range (30-40%). Conclusions: The conclusion shows a direct and significant correlation between children's academic achievement and the severity of speech sound disorder. Academic achievement tends to decrease with increasing SSD severity, as seen by instructors' observations in the classroom and lower annual grades.