Psellism

Psellism (from the Greek ψέλλω - “to stutter”) is a speech disorder in which unclear pronunciation or replacement of individual consonant sounds occurs.

Psellism occurs in various speech pathologies, including stuttering. In this case, some consonant sounds may be omitted, others may be replaced with simpler ones in articulation. For example, the sounds [r], [l], [sh] can be replaced with [j], [v], [f]. Non-normative softening or voicing of consonants is also possible.

Psellism negatively affects the intelligibility and intelligibility of speech. To correct it, special speech therapy exercises are used, aimed at establishing and automating the correct pronunciation of difficult sounds. Overcoming psellism is an important task in the treatment of stuttering and other speech disorders.



Psellism is a speech disorder that manifests itself in unclear pronunciation of consonant sounds, as well as in their replacement with other consonants. This phenomenon can be caused by various reasons such as stuttering, hearing impairment, neurological disorders, etc.

With psellism, consonant sounds can be distorted or replaced with other sounds. For example, instead of the sound “s” the sound “z” or “ts” can be pronounced, instead of the sound “sh” the sound “zh” or “ch” can be pronounced.

Psellism can be either temporary or permanent. If this speech disorder is caused by temporary factors, then over time it may go away on its own. However, if psellism is permanent, then consultation with a specialist is necessary to determine the cause of this disorder and prescribe appropriate treatment.

In general, psellism is not a serious problem, but it can cause discomfort in people suffering from this speech disorder. If you have problems pronouncing consonants, it is recommended that you consult a specialist to diagnose and treat this disorder.



Psellism is a specific pronunciation disorder in which individual consonant sounds or their groups are replaced by other consonant sounds. This phenomenon can be observed both in congenital speech disorders and in stuttering.

With psellism, depending on the type of disorder, the following defects may occur:

– No sound. In this case, a consonant sound is replaced with another consonant or vowel sound.
– Sound replacement. In this case, one consonant sound is replaced by another consonant or vowel sound.
– Sound skipping. This is a disorder in which a consonant sound is omitted.
– Prolongation of sound. With this violation, the consonant sound is lengthened, which can lead to distortion of its sound.

Psellism can occur both with congenital speech pathology and as a result of various speech disorders. For example, psellism is observed with stuttering, as well as with disorders of articulatory motor skills.

To treat psellism, it is necessary to diagnose and determine the type of disorder. Depending on this, the doctor may prescribe appropriate treatment, which may include speech therapy, drug therapy, physical therapy and other methods.

It is important to understand that psellism is a serious speech disorder that can affect a person’s communication and social adaptation. Therefore, if this disorder is detected, it is necessary to contact a specialist who will help determine the cause and prescribe the necessary treatment.