Here's a better way to understand it:
* Irregular nouns are nouns that don't form their plural by simply adding "-s" or "-es". They have their own unique plural forms.
* Vowel sound changes can be a part of some irregular plural forms, but they're not the only way irregular nouns form their plurals.
Here are some examples:
Vowel sound change:
* Man - Men
* Foot - Feet
* Tooth - Teeth
Other irregular plural forms:
* Child - Children
* Woman - Women
* Mouse - Mice
* Goose - Geese
So, while vowel sound changes are sometimes a part of irregular plural forms, they are not the defining characteristic of irregular nouns.