Backing is observed when a child consistently produces a back consonant in place of a front consonant (for example, saying “gog” for “dog”). This process is rare in typical English development and is considered a deviant error pattern rather than a normal developmental stage. It often occurs in children with severe phonological disorders and does not usually self-correct. SLPs recognize backing as a red flag for speech sound disorder, indicating the need for targeted phonological intervention to establish correct placement of sounds.
Susan Rvachew et al., “Velar Fronting and Coronal Backing in Children’s Speech,” Frontiers in Psychology 10 (2019).
Carol Westby, “Outgrowing Speech Sound Disorders,” Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups 7, no. 2 (2022).
