What you need to know about milestones for speech & language
When seeking advice about developmental milestones on the internet, you might be met with two very conflicting messages:
Don't delay! Early Intervention is best!
Don't worry; all kids develop at different rates.
What should a parent consider regarding developmental milestones for speech and language skills?
While you know your child best, developmental milestones can provide context or validate concerns you may already have. For example, suppose your 4-year-old is frequently frustrated because others don't understand them. Or someone else may comment on a speech error you hadn't noticed. Discovering that your child is not meeting certain speech articulation milestones can provide validation for the concerns you already had.
Instead of asking, "Is my child meeting milestones?" consider other questions regarding your child's speech & language skills, such as:
Do others have trouble understanding your child? or does your child appear frustrated often due to not being understood?
Is your child having difficulty forming friendships or playing with other children?
Does your child appear to have more to communicate than what they can say? For example, they show you instead of telling you.
Is your child having difficulty following directions or keeping up with new vocabulary at school?
How do I know if my child will grow out of it or needs help? A speech-language pathologist will help you discern whether intervention is appropriate for your child. For example, some speech and language patterns are never expected during development and often benefit from therapy at any stage. While it isn't unusual for a young child to say "wabbit" for "rabbit," a speech error like a lateral lisp is not typical for developing speech at any age. An SLP will also be able to distinguish between a speech delay and a speech disorder like Childhood Apraxia of Speech.
There are plenty of other reasons to not "wait and see":
Communication is paramount to our well-being; communication difficulties can cause stress or limit a child's ability to form meaningful relationships.
Late talking increases the risk of difficulties with language and literacy [1] when a child is school-age.
This study [2] found gains in children who participated in a parent-implemented language intervention compared to children who did not for late talkers.
New data [3] shows that children can learn sounds like “l” as in “lion” and “r” as in
“Radio” earlier than previously thought!Your child may have a unique communication style like Gestalt Language Processing or need AAC [4] to support their communication ability. The earlier they can develop these skills, the better they will have access to social and learning activities.
Trust your intuition when it comes to your child. You don't need to nervously check off boxes on a milestone chart every month. On the other hand, if your instincts tell you something is amiss, you may want to seek guidance, even if the milestone chart says everything is fine. Why? There are many different lists out there. Recently, the CDC released new milestones causing a stir in the SLP community. The new milestones reflect what most children are doing at the given age rather than what is average. The Informed SLP [5] provides a table comparing the CDC milestones with data showing the number of words used by the 25th percentile in the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-CDIs) data. Also, be sure to check out ASHA’s statement [6] on the matter.
At the heart of being an SLP is the aspiration to support people’s communication so they can live their lives to the fullest and experience meaningful relationships. Every child must have the support they need to communicate as early as possible. If you have any concerns about your child, a speech-language pathologist can aid in assessing your situation and point you in the direction of any support that might be helpful, such as:
A comprehensive communication assessment or therapy
Strategies for at home
Informative resources
Public/school programs
Activities to support communication growth
If you have a gut feeling or notice your child is facing increasing challenges, keep calm and call an SLP (or call one of our friends! Your teacher, physical therapist, occupational therapist, pediatrician, school psychologist, etc.)
Do you have a question or concern about communication? I am happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about your child’s communication skills. Complete this form, and I will contact you as soon as possible.
See below for other resources about developmental milestones and examples of activities to encourage continued growth! And, of course, consider these resources with caution. 🙂
Communicating with Baby Toolkit
Sources:
1. Late Talkers: Why the Wait-and-See Approach Is Outdated; Nina Capone Singleton PhD, CCC-SLP; Pediatric Clinics of North America Volume 65, Issue 1, February 2018, Pages 13-29; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031395517301347?via%3Dihub
2. Assessing the Effects of a Parent-Implemented Language Intervention for Children With Language Impairments Using Empirical Benchmarks: A Pilot Study; Megan Y. Roberts and Ann P. Kaiser; Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research; 1 Dec 2012; https://doi.org/10.1044/1092-4388(2012/11-0236)
3. Breanna I. Krueger & Holly L. Storkel (2022) The impact of age on the treatment of late-acquired sounds in children with speech sound disorders, Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2022.2093130
4. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC); https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/aac/
5. TISLP Team. (2022, February 11). No SLPs were in the room where it happened. [Evidence-informed milestones for developmental surveillance tools by Zubler et al] The Informed SLP. https://www.theinformedslp.com/review/no-sl-ps-were-in-the-room-where-it-happened
6. ASHA Comments on CDC and AAP Developmental Milestones Updates; https://www.asha.org/practice/asha-comments-on-aap-and-cdc-developmental-milestones-updates/
