Developmentally appropriate speech sounds

"I can understand my child, (why can't everyone else?)" or "They will outgrow it".  

We are all guilty of this.  Even as a trained professional, I recently caught myself telling a close family friend that her daughter was totally fine, even though her teachers have raised concerns regarding her speech.  

Yes, she is cognitively above average but when she calls me "Telly" instead of "Kelly" why am I not concerned?  The child is question is almost five and I know many 3 year olds who can say "Kelly" perfectly.  I have seen countless children throughout the years who have speech sound disorders; I know what is "developmentally appropriate" although there is variability in the so-called norms.  But why didn't I pick up on this?  As I said, we are all guilty of it, especially with children who we are around all the time.  We, as adults, have developed an understanding of the way these children speak and we can translate it in our brains, especially given contextual cues.  To us, the way these children talk is normal.  

However, when unfamiliar listeners cannot understand your child, the child may become frustrated and shut down. Not to mention, other young children are not as patient and if they cannot understand the child, it's 'see ya later and off to play with a buddy who makes sense!'.  

This is a guide for when children should be understood by unfamiliar listeners.  Remember, it is only a guide. 

*Child aged 1;0 =  25% intelligible to strangers

Child aged 2;0 =  50% intelligible to strangers

Child aged 3;0 = 75% intelligible to strangers

Child aged 4;0 = 100% intelligible to strangers

You should not determine if your child needs intervention based on these guidelines.  If you are concerned about your child’s speech and language development, please call a trained professional.  It is much easier to remediate the problem before the child enters school and a minor speech problem becomes a reading problem as well.  

The Speech Circle offers free consultations.  Call 781-812-0190 today!  

*cited by Dr. Peter Flipsen, 2006