Can a speech impediment be "contagious"?

[loraxc]

My 3yo recently spent a lot of time with several children who all have the same speech impediment (can't say R or L sounds). I noticed when we got home that he is now sometimes saying the sounds incorrectly. He has always said them correctly before. Should I be concerned or does an impediment only happen when a childs actually cannot say the sound? Can a habit like this develop when the sound was previously correct? I know kids mimic, obviously. I did correct him.

One reason I ask is that these kids ALL go to the same school and spend a lot of time together. It seems almost like they did "catch" it from each other, though I realize it could be coincidence.

[Youngfrankenstein]

Yes, I think it is but it might just be for "fun" in his mind.  My niece wasn't able to say the letter "l" for awhile and always used the letter "y" so we still do that for some reason just as aside.

[APToddlerMama]

Your child isn't going to "catch" a speech delay.  Ls and Rs are frequently not mastered until a child is 6 or 7 years old.  The majority of three year olds have not mastered R and L.  Lucky you, your son has mastered these sounds.  The fact that he is substituting other sounds after hearing the other kids in his class does not mean anything other than that he is listening to their sounds and repeating words the same way.  He is capable of making the correct sounds.  The other kids are not.  The other kids aren't "catching" this from each other either...it is developmentally appropriate. 

[elmh23]

I have a speech delayed son and an older daughter who's speech is fine.  Every once in awhile, she'll drop her r's.  I just tell her she has r's and to use them.  She'll usually re-say the phrase with the correct pronunciation.

Also, if all the other children are 3-years-old, not having r's and l's in their speech isn't all that uncommon.  We're working on them right now in speech with our 4.5 year old, and the SLP says their actually a later sound, but the concern with ds's tongue placement has necessitated the early start (he cannot figure out where to place his tongue to speak properly.)

[loraxc]

The other kids are actually 5 through 8, so they are not other 3yos. I want to make it clear that I am very fond of these kids, but I genuinely cannot understand them a fair bit of the time. Also, I have known them all since birth and one has seemed to get much worse with this in the past year, which I am confused by.

I know the question may seem a bit ignorant. I just wondered if it could ever be "picked up" in the same way that kids pick up baby talk and potty talk from other kids. My older DD even picks up accents, which seems similar...but sof course she doesn't persist with it.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Yes kids pick up ways of talking (accent, vocab, inflection, phrases) from those around them. That is how they learn language. Kids pick up slang from their friends and peers. Kids learn tons of new words through social interaction. So it stands to reason that they would pick up mispronunciations as well.

I wouldn't worry about it. If you can't understand your kid I would focus more on figuring out what is being communicated and NOT correction.

But you can always say 'sorry didnt catch that can you say it again?' and then repeat what was said 'oh you are wondering where your little yellow race car is? Its over in the toy box'

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

Your child isn't going to "catch" a speech delay.  Ls and Rs are frequently not mastered until a child is 6 or 7 years old.  The majority of three year olds have not mastered R and L.  Lucky you, your son has mastered these sounds.  The fact that he is substituting other sounds after hearing the other kids in his class does not mean anything other than that he is listening to their sounds and repeating words the same way.  He is capable of making the correct sounds.  The other kids are not.  The other kids aren't "catching" this from each other either...it is developmentally appropriate. 

She's right.  Let me clarify when I said "Yes" I just meant that the mimicing is totally normal but I don't think it will make your child have a speech impediment.

[APToddlerMama]

Originally Posted by loraxc 

The other kids are actually 5 through 8, so they are not other 3yos. I want to make it clear that I am very fond of these kids, but I genuinely cannot understand them a fair bit of the time. Also, I have known them all since birth and one has seemed to get much worse with this in the past year, which I am confused by.
I know the question may seem a bit ignorant. I just wondered if it could ever be "picked up" in the same way that kids pick up baby talk and potty talk from other kids. My older DD even picks up accents, which seems similar...but sof course she doesn't persist with it.

It is still age appropriate for the five through seven year olds in that group to not be using their Rs and Ls.  Rest assured, nobody is "catching" any sort of speech delay in that classroom.  The question doesn't sound so much ignorant, as you suggest, as it just sounds pretty insensitive.  I would try to lighten up on worrying about that and certainly not project your fears in a way that makes any of these other kids or their parents feel uncomfortable. 

[loraxc]

None of them have the slightest idea that this has crossed my mind. Never fear.

I am sorry that it sounded insensitive. I honestly didn't know. I have seen somewhat similar behaviors come home with my kids and persist for long periods. My older daughter started up with baby talk again after starting daycare and it was months and months before it went away.

[prancie]

Your question is in no way insensitive.  It's a valid question and I too would worry if my child picked up bad speaking habits from peers.  Speech is how we fundamentally interact with the world, speech issues can have serious long term consequences.  

[APToddlerMama]

Originally Posted by prancie 

Your question is in no way insensitive.  It's a valid question and I too would worry if my child picked up bad speaking habits from peers.  Speech is how we fundamentally interact with the world, speech issues can have serious long term consequences.  

Calling it "contagious" is insensitive, though I appreciate OP explaining she wasn't trying to be insensitive.  Clearly you're not parenting a child with special needs. 

[prancie]

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

Calling it "contagious" is insensitive, though I appreciate OP explaining she wasn't trying to be insensitive.  Clearly you're not parenting a child with special needs. 

I find it harsh to accuse people of insensitivity just because they use the wrong word, or a word that you wouldn't choose.  Clearly she didn't mean contagious as in actually transmitted like a disease.  Why can't we just have a conversation based on her meaning, instead of jumping on her for not being politically correct enough?  

[Cyllya]

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

Calling it "contagious" is insensitive, though I appreciate OP explaining she wasn't trying to be insensitive.  Clearly you're not parenting a child with special needs. 

For peace's sake, she even put it in quote marks so you'd know she was using it figuratively. 

[APToddlerMama]

Originally Posted by prancie 

I find it harsh to accuse people of insensitivity just because they use the wrong word, or a word that you wouldn't choose.  Clearly she didn't mean contagious as in actually transmitted like a disease.  Why can't we just have a conversation based on her meaning, instead of jumping on her for not being politically correct enough?  
 

Originally Posted by Cyllya 

For peace's sake, she even put it in quote marks so you'd know she was using it figuratively. 

Whatever to both of you.  I'm telling you it is insensitive and offensive to some people, myself included.  Typically instead of arguing about that, I accept it and choose not to use the word in the future. 

OP, I appreciate your consideration. 
 

[milkybean]

When I was 10 or so my stepsisters spent the summer with us.  One stuttered naturally.  By the end of the summer, and for MONTHS afterward, I stuttered.  I don't think I've done it recently, but even up to around 35 years old I could break out in a stutter when upset.  And I never once stuttered before that summer with the stepsister.

But I'm a huge mimic without even realizing I was doing it.  My mom could always tell who I was spending more time with at school, because I would talk like her.  Within 3 days of being in Ireland when I was 25, I just couldn't help myself but to speak like the people I was spending time with spoke.  However, those never stuck as long as the stuttering did.

Don't know how all that translates to the situation with little kids, but it is my personal experience.