Children can have trouble with speech, language, or both. Having trouble understanding what others say is a receptive language disorder. Having problems sharing our thoughts, ideas, and feelings is an expressive language disorder. It is possible to have both a receptive and an expressive language delay. Reading and writing are language skills. Therefore, children who have delays in receptive and expressive language skills typically will also have difficulty learning to read and write.

When children have trouble saying certain speech sounds, stutter when they speak, or have voice problems, they have a speech disorder. Children who have difficulty saying speech sounds have an articulation disorder. Children with articulation disorders often have difficulty with early literacy skills like phonemic awareness and phonics skills.

Early intervention for speech and language delays is often effective. However, literacy skills also need to be targeted and should be addressed as part of a comprehensive therapy plan.