Articulatory and phonological development of Estonian-speaking children

Descriptions of speech sound acquisition and phonological development are fundamental for speech assessment and scientific studies on speech and language acquisition and disorders. In Estonian, there is currently a critical need for language-specific acquisition norms. This investigation aims to (1) characterize the acquisition of Estonian speech sounds, syllable structures, and phonemic quantities based on a representative sample of 3 to 5-year-olds; (2) identify the speech sound profiles at age three, which predict speech sound disorders at age five; and (3) develop a comprehensive assessment battery for characterizing speech sound development in Estonian. Speech sound disorders are the most common speech disorders among children. The results of this project hold critical value for timely identification and intervention for children with speech sound disorders, which in turn will help to reduce or avoid further problems during school-age (e.g., problems with written language).