Information
Speech and Language Development
All children vary in their rate of learning speech and language. However, there is a general pattern of development, with steady progress (often with “bursts” of development along the way). The milestones outlined below are intended to give parents a guide as to what to expect for different ages and stages. If at any time you are concerned about your child’s development, please contact for advice.
Language Milestones
By One:
Responds to familiar sounds eg. phone ringing
Understands simple commands or questions eg. “More juice”?
Recognises their own name
Understands names of familiar objects eg. cup, ball
Says ‘mumma’, ‘dadda’ and a few other words (which may not be clear)
Imitates familiar sounds eg. brmmm, animal noises
Enjoys toys, songs and games eg. peek-a-boos
By Two:
Identifies and names simple body parts eg. nose, tummy
Follows simple instructions eg. “Roll the ball”
Points to pictures in a book when named
Has a vocabulary of around 50 words
Puts 2 words together eg. “Mummy go”
Enjoys listening to stories, singing songs and nursery rhyme
By Three:
Follows 2 step instructions eg. “Go to your room and get your teddy”
Understands big/little
Says their first name and holds their fingers up to tell their age
Has a vocabulary of around 450 words
Says 2-3 word sentences
Starts to use basic grammar eg. using ‘s’ on the end of words for plurals
Uses pronouns instead of names eg. you, I
Has “conversations” with toys
Is understood by familiar adults
By Four:
Understands and asks “wh” questions eg. what, where, when
Understands a range of positional concepts eg. next to, between, behind
Answers simple question about a story
Understands nearly everything that is said
Has almost 1000 word vocabulary
Says 4-5 word sentences
Names at least one colour
Uses mostly correct grammar with some errors eg. “I falled over”
Is understood by other people
By Five:
Understands opposites eg. long/short
Understands time concepts eg. ‘yesterday’
Identifies simple shapes eg. triangle, square, circle
Follows 3 step directions eg. “Put on your shoes, get your bag, and wait at the front door”
Has a vocabulary of 1500 words
Uses long and detailed sentences of around 5-6 words
Uses mostly correct grammar
Speaks clearly and fluently
Tells long and detailed stories
Speech Milestones
Average age children learn to pronounce English consonants correctly
(Based on 15 English speech acquisition studies compiled by McLeod and Crowe, 2018)
When To Seek Help
Any time you are concerned about your child’s speech and language development is the right time to seek advice. Early identification of issues is key to timely intervention – the earlier the better. Indicators that your child may require an assessment by a Speech Pathologist are:
Being a late talker (less than 50 words by 18-24 months of age)
Lack of progress in development or regression
Disinterest in communication or interaction, poor social skills eg. eye contact, turn-taking
Stuttering eg. repetition of words, parts of words or phrases
Voice hoarseness
There are a number of “risk factors” which are known to be associated with an increased chance of speech/language impairment. These include:
Little babbling as baby
Being a late talker – less than 50 words by 18-24 months of age
Being male – males are 2-3 times more likely to have language problems than girls
Family history of language or learning disorder
Hearing impairment
History of recurrent ear infections or glue ear
Very low birth weight or prematurity
Chronic illness or severe disease such as meningitis
Co-existing disorders eg. genetic disorder, brain injury, cognitive or developmental disorder
Environmental issues such as abuse, trauma or neglect
Remember, you know your child best so trust your own judgment! Contact us to discuss your concerns or questions.