As a parent, it's natural to wonder if your child's speech and language development is progressing as expected. While every child develops at their own pace, there are general milestones that can help guide your expectations. Understanding these age-by-age benchmarks can help you identify if your child may need additional support.
Speech and Language Milestones by Age
0-12 months:
- Babies coo, babble, and make eye contact
- Respond to sounds and recognise familiar voices
- Begin to say first words like "mama" or "dada" by 12 months
1-2 years:
- Start combining words (e.g., "want milk")
- Understand simple instructions like "come here"
- Have a vocabulary of around 50 words by age 2
2-3 years:
- Use short sentences (e.g., "I want cookie")
- Speech is about 50-75% understandable to familiar people
- Begin asking questions like "Where's my toy?"
3-4 years:
- Speak in longer sentences and tell simple stories
- Can be understood by unfamiliar people most of the time
- Start using pronouns correctly (e.g., "he," "she," "they")
4-5 years:
- Hold back-and-forth conversations
- Use more complex sentences with correct grammar
- Pronounce most sounds correctly but may still struggle with tricky sounds like "th" or "r"
Speech Sound Development Milestones
In addition to language skills, children also develop speech sounds at different ages. Here's a general guide to when children typically acquire specific sounds:
By 1 year:
- Babies babble and experiment with early sounds like "b," "m," and "p"
By 2 years:
- Most children can say simple words clearly, using sounds like /p, b, m, t, d, n/
By 3 years:
- Develops sounds like /k, g, f, w/ and can be understood by familiar people most of the time
By 4 years:
- Produces most sounds correctly, including /s, z, v, sh/, but may still simplify tricky words
By 5 years:
- Speech is clear to almost everyone, but they may still struggle with /r, ch, th/
When to Seek Help
If your child is significantly behind these milestones, struggles with pronunciation, or has difficulty understanding and following instructions, a speech pathologist can assess their development and provide targeted strategies.
Early intervention is key—if you're unsure, it's always best to seek professional advice.
How Much Does Speech Therapy Cost?
Many parents wonder about the cost of speech therapy and whether it's worth the investment. The price can vary depending on the provider, location, and type of therapy needed. Understanding how early intervention can prevent future learning and communication difficulties makes speech therapy a valuable long-term investment in your child's development.
Need Support?
If you're concerned about your child's speech or language development, I'm here to help! As a qualified speech pathologist, I provide assessments and tailored therapy to support your child's communication skills. Contact me today to discuss your concerns and find out how I can help your child thrive.
