Does my Child need Speech and Language Therapy?

Speech and language are connected, but they are different! Speech refers to the way we say sounds and words. As children are learning how to speak, it is typical to not say every sound correct. They may not always be easily understood. There are specific sounds we expect children to have by certain ages. By 2 years old, children should be understood about 50% of the time by others. By age 3, children should be understood 75% of the time and by age 4, they should be understood about 90-100% of the time. It's important to remember that each child is different in their development! 

Language refers to how we use words to convey meaning. Expressive Language refers to the use of spoken words, signs, or picture icons, etc. to convey thoughts. For example, if your child pointed towards an item to indicate they wanted it or stating "no" to something they dislike. Receptive Language refers to the understanding of language. For example, if you asked your child to point to a chicken in their book or if you asked them to go and get their shoes. 

How will you know if your child needs speech and language therapy?

If there is any sign of a speech and/or language delay or if you are noticing your child is not reaching appropriate developmental milestones, your child may need support in this area, so don't hesitate to book a screening or an evaluation! See below what to look for.

What to look for with language:

-Not smiling or interacting with family members or others

-Not babbling between the ages of 4-10 months or only making a few sounds 

-Only using gestures by 12 months

-Not understanding what is being said, such as simple directions or vocabulary 

-By 2 years old, child should have around 50 words

-By 2 years old, child should be starting to put together 2-word combinations and by 3 years old, be putting together shorter sentences

-Struggling to interact/play with other children by age 2-3

-By age 2-3, having trouble with early foundational reading and writing skills, such as making sounds or saying words when looking at pictures in books, pointing in books when you name items

What to look for with speech sounds:

-By age 2, child should be producing sounds: h, p, n, d, b, w, m

-By age 3, child should be producing sounds: t, f, y, ng, k, g

-By age 4, child should be producing sounds: s, s-blends such as st in "stop"

Remember that it is never too early to seek out a speech and language evaluation if you have any concerns. A speech-language pathologist may tell you that your child is right on track or they may identify areas within your child's development that they recommend additional support to gain skills.