This advice-column-style blog for SLPs was authored by Pam Marshalla from 2006 to 2015, the archives of which can be explored here. Use the extensive keywords list found in the right-hand column (on mobile: at the bottom of the page) to browse specific topics, or use the search feature to locate specific words or phrases throughout the entire blog.
Adding Unnecessary Final Consonants
By Pam Marshalla
Q: Have you ever seen a child add final consonants to words that don’t need them? My 3-year-old male client adds T to the end of everything.
I have seen this with a few kids who used a few different phonemes: T and S mostly. I usually consider it overgeneralization of their new knowledge about final consonants, and I don’t worry about it. I do not believe that I ever had to do anything about it, and I just let it fade away on its own. If I felt I had to address it at some point I probably would do minimal pairs such as Me and Meat.
What if it’s a 9 year old and is adding a /d/ at the end of some words, such as /dətɑrd/ instead of /gətɑr/
I am wondering something similar. a 13 year old who consistently adds /d/ at the end of any final “er” words. (ex. racer-d, water-d (the drink not the action of watering), farmer-d, sweater-d, etc.).