Milestones to Watch: When to Seek Speech Therapy for Your Child

Watching your child grow and develop is an amazing part of parenting. Our children grow and change so rapidly, it can be hard to know what to expect next! Among the many developmental milestones you will observe as a parent, speech and communication development is a vital area of growth. Understanding what is typical in speech/language development and when to seek skilled therapy services can help support your child’s journey through learning all about their amazing world. 

Understanding Your Child’s Speech and Language Development 

No two children are alike and each child develops speech and communication skills at different rates. Here are a few general guidelines and skills* from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a national association for research and credentialing speech language pathologists.

Birth to 1 Year

• Turns and looks toward voices or people talking
• Babbles long strings of sounds
• Briefly stops something when told “no”
• Points, waves or shows/gives objects
• Says one or two words

1 to 2 Years

• Looks around when asked “where” questions
• Shakes head for “no” and nods head for “yes.”
• Identifies one or more body parts.
• Uses and understands at least 50 different words for food, toys, animals, and body parts (by age 2)
• Speech may not always be clear—like du for “shoe” or dah for “dog.”
• Puts two or more words together—like more water or go outside.
• Uses words to ask for help.

2 to 3 Years

• Tries to get your attention by saying, Look at me!
• Says their name when asked.
• Uses –ing verbs like eating or running. Adds –ed to the end of words to talk about past actions, like looked or played. 
• Answers questions like “What do you do when you are sleepy?” or “Which one can you wear?
• Correctly produces p, b, m, h, w, d, and n in words.
• Speech is becoming clearer but may not be understandable to unfamiliar listeners or to people who do not know your child

3 to 4 Years

• Tells you a story from a book or a video.
• Understands and uses more location words, like inside, on, and under.
• Uses words like “a” or “the” when talking, like “a book” or “the dog.”
• Correctly produces t, k, g, f, y, and –ing in words.
• By age 4 years, your child talks smoothly. Does not repeat sounds, words, or phrases most of the time.
• By age 4 years, your child speaks so that people can understand most of what they say.

4 to 5 Years

• Produces grammatically correct sentences. Sentences are longer and more complex.
• Uses at least one irregular plural form, like feet or men.
• Understands and uses location words, like behind, beside, and between.
• Follows simple directions and rules to play games.
• Produces most consonants correctly, and speech is understandable in conversation.

When to Seek Speech Therapy

While some variability in development is normal and to be expected, it’s important to be proactive should you notice significant delays or have concerns. Here are some signs that your child should see a Speech-Language Pathologist to determine if a speech/language impairment is present: 

• Lack of babbling by 12 months 
• Minimal use of gestures such as waving, clapping, pointing by 12 months 
• Difficulty following age-appropriate spoken directions or not responding to spoken speech 
• Limited Vocabulary for age 
• Difficulty combining words 
• Difficulty understanding what your child is saying to you
• Loss of speech and language skills that were previously acquired

How to Support Your Child’s Speech and Language Development at Home

1. Engage in shared book reading – ask questions, label actions and items in pictures. Examples:  “What is the boy doing?…He’s sleeping! Do you see the boy sleeping? Show me the boy sleeping.” or “Look at the dog running! He’s going so fast. Show me how you run. Can you show me who’s running?” and have your child point to the action in the book.  
2. Talk about what your child is paying attention to, playing with, or looking at.
3. When your child uses a word, add one more word in order to work on increasing the ability to use longer phrases and sentences.
4. When asking your child to follow a direction that’s difficult/or that he/she is unable to follow, physically help your child to complete the task to teach them the direction.
5. Speak slowly and in 1-2 word phrases when teaching new vocabulary.
6. PLAY and have fun with your child!

Remember: 

Knowing what communication milestones to expect as your child develops can help reassure that your child is on track or needs support from a professional. Remember, no two children are alike and reaching milestones will vary. However, recognizing the signs of a possible speech/language delay and seeking early intervention can make all the difference in your child’s communication. 

*These milestones are guidelines and will vary from child to child. If you have concerns regarding your child’s speech and language development, please seek out an evaluation from a Speech-Language Pathologist.*

Rachel Coppola M.A., CCC/SLP