IDENTIFY THE SIGNS Does my child need speech therapy? Does my child need speech therapy? Complete this short checklist to identify early signs of communication disorders. Reference: American Speech Language Hearing Association. (2023, March 6). Signs of speech and language disorders. Identify The Signs. https://identifythesigns.org/signs-of-speech-and-language-disorders/ Signs of a Language Disorder Does not smile or interact with others (birth and older) Does not babble (4–6 months) Makes only a few sounds or gestures, like reaching (7–9 months) Does not understand what others say (10 months – 2 years) Says only a few words (19 months – 2 years) Does not put words together to make sentences (19 months – 3 years) Speaks using words that are not easily understood by others (3–4 years) Has trouble with early reading skills, like pretending to read or finding the front of a book (4–5 years) Signs of a Speech Sound Disorder Says p, b, m, h, and w incorrectly in words (2–3 years) Says k, g, f, t, d, and n incorrectly in words (3–4 years) Produces speech that is unclear, even to familiar people (2–3 years) Signs of a Stuttering (Disfluencies) Repeats first sounds of words—“b-b-b-ball” for “ball” Stretches sounds out—“ffffff-farm” for “farm” Shows frustration when trying to get words out Signs of a Voice Disorder Loss of voice Uses a hoarse or breathy voice Speaks with strain and effort Type in your email to receive free resources on tips and milestones in supporting your child’s communication development. Submit If you are human, leave this field blank.
