Articulation Therapy for Kids in Westlake Village
Help for children who are hard to understand, from a licensed speech-language pathologist. For children from birth to 18.
During business hours, we return calls within an hour.
- Free 15-minute call
- No referral needed
- No waiting list
- Ages
- Birth to 18
- Where
- Your home, school, a private clinic on request, or telehealth anywhere in California. Our Westlake Village clinic opens December 1, 2026.
- How soon
- No waiting list as of October 2026. Evaluations are scheduled within 3 business days of your free consultation.
Grandparents keep looking to you to translate. Your child says "tup" for cup, drops the ends of words, or gets upset when no one understands. Maybe a teacher mentioned it first. Articulation therapy helps a child learn to say speech sounds clearly, so other people can understand them. A speech-language pathologist teaches where the lips and tongue go, then practices the sounds in words, sentences, and play. We provide articulation therapy in Westlake Village and nearby towns. No diagnosis or referral is needed.
What is articulation therapy, and what does it help with?
Articulation therapy is speech therapy for children who have trouble saying sounds. A child who often has trouble saying sounds, or is hard to understand, may have what the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) calls a speech sound disorder.
Sound errors usually look like one of these:
- Swapping sounds"Tup" for cup, or "wabbit" for rabbit.
- Leaving sounds out"Ca" for cat, or "poon" for spoon.
- Changing soundsA slushy "s," or a lisp.
- Whole patternsBack sounds become front sounds, so "car" turns into "tar."
When a whole group of sounds changes the same way, speech-language pathologists call it a phonological pattern. A pattern can be worked on as a whole, not one word at a time.
If people understand your child's sounds but your child has trouble finding words, language therapy is the closer match.
Which speech sounds should my child say, and by what age?
Children learn sounds in a rough order. By age 3, most children say m, n, h, w, p, b, t, d, k, g, and f in words, according to ASHA. By age 4, they add y and v, and most people understand what they say.
Even at 4, mistakes on s, sh, ch, j, ng, th, z, l, and r are still common, according to ASHA. These sounds often come in later. We weigh a child's age carefully before deciding whether a sound needs support.
For a closer look, read when children usually say each speech sound.
When does a child need articulation therapy?
No single sign means something is wrong. Several together, or a worry that keeps coming back, is worth a conversation.
- Often asked to repeatPeople outside the family look to you to translate.
- Past the expected ageMost of your child's speech is still unclear for their age.
- Sounds always missingSome sounds are always left out or swapped.
- FrustrationYour child gives up partway through, or avoids hard words.
- A widening gapOther children the same age are easier to understand.
- A worry that returnsYour gut keeps coming back to it.
That last one matters. Parents are careful observers of their own children. If a worry keeps coming back, it is reasonable to get a professional opinion, even if the answer turns out to be reassuring.
What happens in articulation therapy?
A speech-language pathologist breaks a hard sound into small steps, then builds it back up: the sound alone, then syllables, words, phrases, and everyday talk.
According to ASHA, treatment may include learning the right way to make a sound, learning to tell when a sound is right or wrong, and practicing the sound in words and longer sentences.
Because the work is play-based, a child often doesn't notice the practice. They race cars that "vroom," feed a puppet that wants "more," or hide "ssssnakes" around the living room. Each game is built around a target sound, practiced many times. Sessions run 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the service.
What happens when you start articulation therapy?
It starts with a free 15-minute consultation. If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days. The written report follows within 14 business days, with a treatment plan if therapy is recommended.
Free 15-minute consultation
You talk with a licensed speech-language pathologist about what you are noticing at home and at school. If we don't think an evaluation is needed yet, we will say so.
Evaluation within 3 business days
If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days of your consultation. The speech-language pathologist listens to your child talk and play, checks which sounds are clear, and asks what you notice at home. It usually takes 60 to 90 minutes.
Written report and recommendation
Within 14 business days, you get the written evaluation, and a clear treatment plan if therapy is recommended. The plan sets graduation goals: the skills that show a child is ready to finish therapy.
Parent coaching
Your plan includes parent coaching. You learn which sounds your child is ready to practice at home, and how to practice without turning it into a lesson.
Sessions
Sessions look like play with a purpose, built around your child's target sounds. They run 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the service.
How can I help my child's speech at home?
Model the right sound instead of correcting. If your child says "wabbit," you can say, "Yes, a rabbit. The rabbit is hopping." Your child hears the sound without feeling corrected.
- Get on their levelGive your full attention, so your child has time to get the words out.
- Read together every dayBooks repeat sounds and give you easy chances to model them.
- Narrate your dayTalk through what you are both doing, in clear words.
- Celebrate tryingRespond to what your child says, not how it sounds.
Your speech-language pathologist will coach you on which sounds your child is ready to work on at home, and which to leave for now.
Who would my child work with?
Nita Anavim, M.S., CCC-SLP, leads speech therapy at Therapy Clubhouse in Westlake Village. She is a licensed speech-language pathologist and co-founder.
- Degrees
- M.S. and B.S., Communicative Disorders and Sciences, California State University, Northridge
- Certification
- Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- California license
- No. 38532Verify on the state license search (opens in a new tab)
“I want them to leave feeling like they came to play with someone new.”Meet Nita →
How much does articulation therapy cost, and can I use insurance?
Coverage depends on your plan. You can use your insurance through our partner, Village, which handles the billing. Village accepts PPO plans from several major insurers, and TRICARE.
Village also charges its own fee for each visit, in addition to your copay or deductible. Before therapy starts, Village goes over the expected cost with you.
We are waiting to become in network with major insurance companies. Until then, Village is how insurance works with us.
You can also pay privately, and we give you a superbill to send to your plan for possible out-of-network reimbursement. On the free 15-minute call, we check your coverage before you commit to anything.
What else do parents ask about articulation therapy?
Is my child's lisp normal?
Mistakes on "s" and "z" are still common at age 4, according to ASHA. If a lisp continues as your child gets older, or the tongue often pushes between the teeth, an evaluation can show what is going on. Read more about lisps.
Why can't my child say the "r" sound?
"R" is one of the later sounds. Mistakes on "r" are still common at age 4, according to ASHA. If "r" is still hard as your child gets older, an evaluation can tell you whether it is time for help. Read more about the "r" sound.
How long does articulation therapy take?
It depends on how many sounds are involved and how often practice happens between sessions. We set goals at the evaluation and review them with you.
Is articulation therapy the same as myofunctional therapy?
No, but they can overlap. Articulation therapy works on how a child says sounds. Myofunctional therapy works on how the tongue, lips, and jaw rest and move. Some lisps are tied to where the tongue rests, so a child may need both. Learn about myofunctional therapy for kids.
Should I correct my child's speech?
Model instead of correcting. Say the word back the right way, warmly, and keep the conversation going. Constant correcting can make a child talk less. Read more about correcting speech.
Can articulation therapy happen by telehealth?
Yes. We offer articulation therapy in your home and by telehealth anywhere in California.
Do you offer in-person articulation therapy in Westlake Village?
Yes. We see children at home, at school, in a private clinic on request, and by telehealth anywhere in California. Our Westlake Village clinic opens December 1, 2026, at 2535 Townsgate Road, Suite 110.
Is the free call the same as an evaluation?
No. The free 15-minute call answers your questions and points you to the right next step. It is not an evaluation. If therapy looks like a fit, the evaluation comes next.
Which school district and regional center serve Westlake Village?
Westlake Village sits on a county line. The Los Angeles County side is served by Las Virgenes Unified School District, and the Ventura County side by Conejo Valley Unified School District. For children under 3, the regional center depends on the county. Families on the Ventura County side fall under Tri-Counties Regional Center, where we are a provider. On the Los Angeles County side, tell us your address and we'll help you confirm which regional center covers you.
What areas do you serve?
We provide articulation therapy for families in Westlake Village and nearby towns. These include Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Newbury Park, Calabasas, Moorpark, and Simi Valley. Telehealth is available anywhere in California.Thousand OaksAgoura HillsOak ParkNewbury ParkCalabasasMoorparkSimi ValleyAll locations
“If you're concerned about your child's development, don't wait. You know your child best.”
About 1 in 6 children aged 3 through 17 years have one or more developmental disabilities. (CDC)
We build every child's plan and goals around one aim: graduating from speech or occupational therapy. That is our goal with every child.
If your child is hard to understand, or frustrated by not being understood, you don't have to keep wondering on your own. Tell us a little more about what you're hearing. Let's talk about it.
Request your free 15-minute consultation
Tell us what you are noticing about your child. A licensed therapist reads every message, not an assistant, and replies within one business day. The consultation is free, lasts about 15 minutes, and carries no obligation. There is no waiting list. If you would rather talk now, call (805) 702-3427.
