Which statement best describes a phonological (phonemic) disorder?

A phonological (phonemic) disorder is best characterized by the simplification of adult speech patterns, which leads to consistent patterns of sound errors. In this context, children with phonological disorders may produce speech that does not align with the expected adult forms, often resulting in systematic errors.

For instance, a child might consistently simplify consonant clusters (like saying "pider" instead of "spider") or omit certain sounds in specific contexts, reflecting their understanding of sound patterns rather than a mere difficulty in sound production. This oversimplification indicates a problem with the underlying knowledge of phonological rules rather than just motor execution issues typically associated with articulation disorders.

Examining the other options further clarifies why they do not define phonological disorders accurately. Difficulty producing specific sounds correctly tends to reflect issues more aligned with articulation disorders rather than the systematic pattern observed in phonological disorders. Saying a child has knowledge of sound distinctions contradicts the nature of phonological disorders, as these children often exhibit confusion or simplification in their understanding of phoneme contrasts. Lastly, stating that the articulation errors are random overlooks the systematic and rule-governed nature of the errors typical in phonological disorders, where children often follow identifiable patterns in their speech simplifications.