When the child does not pronounce the letter 'j'

Many children, during their speech acquisition, may present articulation difficulties. Some of the most frequent reside in the phoneme 'j', which is acquired around 4 years of age, giving rise to the so-called jotacismo, which consists of the distortion, omission or substitution of this sound. But,

Many children, during their speech acquisition, may present articulation difficulties. Some of the most frequent reside in the phoneme 'j', which is acquired around 4 years of age, giving rise to the so-called jotacismo, which consists of the distortion, omission or substitution of this sound.

But, why do our children find problems when it comes to pronouncing it? One of the main reasons is that its point of articulation is not as visible as, for example, that of the t or the p, so its pronunciation is not easy to imitate.

Most common mistakes in children when pronouncing the 'j'

One of the most frequent errors is its replacement by the k (kabon instead of soap). This happens because the postdorso of the tongue is contacting the palate, which prevents the air from coming out. For this reason, this more posterior part of the language will have to be taken off. For this you can use a tongue depressor, the classic doctor stick, but be careful, as this can cause gagging.

Another common mistake is to replace it with the soft g (giraffe by giraffe). In this case, we can ask him to repeat syllables such as ga, gue, gui, go and gu, while clearing his throat.

If there is a direct omission (for example, 'avier by Javier') we will have to help the recognition of the point of articulation. A trick can then be from the facilitator phoneme k and add vibrations from gargarismos.

Tips to help children correctly pronounce the 'j'

For the 'j' sound to be emitted correctly it is necessary that the lips and teeth are parted, without tension. The tongue widens and the lingual apex - the tip - contacts the alveoli, which is the area in which the lower incisors are inserted. At the same time, the back of the tongue approaches the veil or soft palate, which is elevated forming a channel that facilitates the exit of air.

But, as we mentioned earlier, this articulatory point is not simple. Therefore, it is essential that the child experience the proprioceptive sensations that are felt when articulating this phoneme. Thus, we can encourage you to feel your throat to check the vibration or tingling that occurs. Then we will invite him to try it. To give you a clearer example you can understand, we can explain to him that he should imitate the roar of a lion. In this way, in addition to the tactile sensation, it will have a visual image to which the sound can be associated.

Another helpful aid is to use support gestures. One option can be placing the closed fist with the thumb extended in the neck or, if you prefer, you can place the whole hand on it, in position of grip, covering the entire throat. Whatever the chosen gesture, it will have to be carried out at the same time words are spoken with the letter j, such as a cage or soap, so that the child can see you and then reproduce it. You will verify that this strategy is very effective, since they are very amused by the fact of speaking 'by signs'.

We hope these tips will help you! In any case, do not hesitate to go to a specialist if you see that your child, despite these aids and exceeded 4 years, still encountering difficulties.