What should be the focus of intervention for a child with developmental speech disorders?

Focusing on functional communication skills is essential for children with developmental speech disorders because it addresses the child's ability to effectively communicate in real-life situations. This approach emphasizes the importance of using language in a manner that is meaningful and applicable to daily interactions, allowing the child to express their needs, thoughts, and emotions.

By prioritizing functional communication, interventions can promote not only speech clarity but also the child's overall communicative competence, which includes understanding when and how to communicate in different contexts. This is particularly important for children, as their ultimate goal is to interact with peers and adults, engage socially, and become active participants in their environment.

While maximum speech output and articulation at a single word level may contribute to aspects of speech development, they do not encompass the broader goal of enhancing meaningful communication. Similarly, fluency enhancement, while important for children who stutter, does not relate to the overall communication function that children with developmental speech disorders need to develop. Thus, the emphasis on functional communication ensures that the child's skills are transferable and practical in everyday life.