Speech Sound Developmental Ages

I think one of the most common questions I get from parents regarding their child's communication revolves around speech sound development. Parents are often surprised that there's actually a range of normal--some kids have very few errors and others take years to correctly produce their sounds.

The most helpful way to demonstrate this is in a chart for parents to reference. In this cart, the bars represent the average age ranges for kids to learn the various sounds:

Source

Some other points to remember include the following:

1. Each child is different, so even if an older sibling had all the sounds by age 3, a younger sibling may not necessarily follow suit.
2. Children who start talking later may be a bit behind in sound development. Watch their development through the sounds to make sure they continue to progress.
3. Difficulty with hearing can hinder speech development. Watch for ear infections, as these cause a temporary hearing loss that can make it difficult for kids to learn sounds. You can't imitate what you can't hear!
4. Enjoy the funny pronunciations for words that your kids come up with!

Here are some of my favorite mispronunciations my kids have made. I'd love to hear some from you, too!

shlower = flower (A.H.)

sicken = seven (A.H.)

dinky = stinky (A.H.)

wogurt = yogurt (E.H.)

binocoly = monopoly (E.H.)

goggie = doggie (E.H.)

iPoo = iPad (E.H.)