SPEECH THERAPY
A speech and language pathologist helps diagnose and provide therapy for individuals with a variety of difficulties, including speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and feeding and swallowing disorders. For children, speech therapy involves therapeutic play to increase functional communication.
Speech-language pathologists also treat children who stutter, have voice disorders, oral-motor/feeding difficulties and children with hearing impairments. If you have any questions about your child's speech or language development or would like to learn more about our services, please reach out to us!
When should I seek a speech/language evaluation for my child?
Kids develop at their own pace, but there is a natural progression for speech and language skills. Missing those marks does not necessarily mean your child has a disorder! The table below demonstrates ranges of articulation and language development with age approximations. If your child has not mastered these skills around these ages, consider an evaluation.
Birth-3 Months
• Startles to loud sounds
• Coos
• Cries for different needs
• Quiets and smiles when spoken to
6 Months
• Moves eyes toward sounds
• Babbles with consonants (p, b, m)
• Laughs
• Expresses excitement/displeasure
12 Months
• Enjoys peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake
• Imitates different sounds
• Babbles syllable strings (dadadada)
• Recognizes simple words (“ball,” “cup”)
• Understands simple commands (“come here”)
• Turns head toward sounds
• Recognizes name
• Waves, points to things
• Uses 1 to 2 words
2 Years
• Makes sounds of familiar animals
• Uses the word “more" to request
• Puts 2 words together (“bye mommy”)
• Follows 1-step directions (“give me the ball”)
• Points to objects in pictures
• Points to body parts
• Uses 50-100 words
• Produces b, h, m, p, w
3 Years
• Names common pictures and things
• Carries on conversations
• Tells you his or her name and age
• Follows 2-step commands
• Understands in, on, under, behind
• Knows how to take turns
• Answers “what” and “where” questions
• Uses 250-500 words
• Produces previous sounds plus d, g, k, f, t
4 Years
• Tells a story
• Asks questions
• Uses almost 1000 words
• Follows 3-step directions
• Maintains conversations
• Produces previous sounds plus y, s, sh, ch
5 Years
• Uses past tense correctly
• Names letters and numbers
• Uses about 1500 words
• Understands words for order (first, next, last)
• Understands words for time (yesterday, today, tomorrow)
• Produces previous sounds and j, l, v, z
6 Years
• Uses 2000 words
• Uses adult-like grammar in sentences and conversation
• Understands left and right
• Knows letters and numbers
• Understands same/different
• Reads simple words (dog, the, ball)
• Produces previous sounds and th- blends
7 Years
• Uses adult-like grammar in conversation
• Uses compound and complex sentences
• Names days of the week
• Counts to 100
• Predicts sequence of events
• Knows opposites
• Asks “why” and “how” questions
• Produces previous sounds and ng, r, zh
7-12 Years
• Reads simple words (dog, the, ball)
• Uses complex sentences with correct grammar and syntax
• Maintains conversations with peers and adults
• Predicts and draws conclusions
• Recalls information from written and spoken paragraphs/stories
• Produces all sounds including vowelized r and r- blends