Speech Therapy
Did you know?
Speech therapy is more than saying sounds or using words. As with all development, speech and language skills build upon each other. Early milestones pave the way for phrases (2-3 years olds) and eventual back-n-forth interaction (4-5 years). Here are a few (not all) skills your child 
should have:
- Your 0-3 month old should be using vowel sounds when crying.
- Your 4-6 month old should be responding to his/her name.
- Your 6-9 month old should be using 2 syllable combinations.
- Your 9-12 month old should be using gestures to indicate wants/needs.
- Your 12-15 month old should be following single step directions, imitating during play, and shaking their head "no".
- Your 15-18 month old should be pointing, giving, and showing; asking questions, and using at least 15 meaningful words.
- Your 18-21 month old should be vocalizing and using words during play, and imitating 2-3 word phrases.
- Your 2 year-old should be following 2 step directions, have at least 50 different words, using pronouns, and using 3 word phrases on occasion.
- Your 3 year-old should be answering yes/no questions, using plurals and prepositions, using 3 word sentences consistently, and be able to state their name (first and last) and their age.
- Your 4-5 year-old should be speaking in complete sentences (at least 5 words), asking questions, and playing board games.
Speech therapy services address the following areas:
- Receptive language skills (understanding what is said, following directions)
- Expressive language skills (using words to communicate wants and needs)
- Auditory and language processing
- Motor speech disorders
- Articulation (speech sounds)
- Fluency and voice
- Social skills
- Play
- Oral motor skills
- Feeding
Your child may benefit from speech therapy services if they:
- Are not cooing, babbling, or meeting their speech and language milestones
- Exhibit excessive drooling and/or an open mouth posture
- Cannot communicate their wants and needs
- Have difficulty following directions
- Have difficulty answering questions
- Have difficulty staying on topic during conversations
- Don't use toys appropriately or use play sequences
- Frequently misunderstand what is said to them
- Have difficulty sequencing stories
- Have a poor memory
- Are difficult to understand
- Don't use the right sounds for words
- If they substitute sounds for other sounds
- Stutter or exhibit dysfluency in their speech
- Have difficulty coordinating lip and tongue movements
- Are picky eaters or problem feeders
