As far as management of articulation disorders is concerned, having an adequate testing is only one of the desirable requirements. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to consider a norm for testing a patient with articulation error than to develop norm for articulation testing. “Articulation disorder” is a difficulty with the motor production aspects of speech, or an inability to produce certain sounds. The requirements for assessing a patient with articulation disorders like complete history taking, examination of speech mechanism, examination of ear & hearing system, neurological examination (optional) of Articulation Assessment Tool.
Dr. Dharam Vir, Speech Language Pathologist, Speech and Hearing Unit, Department of ENT developed a first kind of Articulation Assessment Tool for these patients i.e. Punjabi Language called Punjabi Articulation Test (PAT) which is first in the world. In other languages like Tamil, Telugu etc. developed in 1970 – 1980 and in Hindi developed in 1972 but this in Punjabi Language developed now. This PAT was applied on 200 normal children at sound that the parents of these children who have higher socio-economic stratification have more articulation errors amongst North Indian Punjabi speaking children. He has found lower socio-economic strata had 4.5% consonant errors of k, kh at g as compared to more than twice i.e 11.5% in higher socio-economic strata of parents. He has presented this research at 33rd AICL (All India Congress of Linguists) in the Department of English Punjab University, Chandigarh. It may be concluded from the study that population of higher socio-economic strata used, English and Hindi more than Punjabi at home.