At Breathe Eat Sleep Talk, we provide Speech-Language, oral motor, and feeding therapy for children 5 and under. We also address speech sound errors for any age.
I have found my calling in life as a Speech-Language Pathologist, helping people find their way with words, and fine tuning the way they communicate and speak.
The difference between Speech & Language
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Speech- The verbal means of communicating that include the following:
Articulation
How speech sounds are made (e.g., children must learn how to produce the "r" sound in order to say "rabbit" instead of "wabbit").
Phonological Processes/ Patterns
All humans use patterns of sounds to communicate. When first learning to speak, some of these patterns are in error (and this is typical up to a point). Sometimes children continue use of phonological process errors, indicating a phonological speech delay. These patterns of errors can be language errors, since the sounds carry meaning.
Voice
Use of the vocal folds and breathing to produce sound (e.g., the voice can be abused from overuse or misuse and can lead to hoarseness or loss of voice).
Fluency
The rhythm of speech (e.g., hesitations or stuttering can affect fluency).
When a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language), or sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings completely (expressive language), then he or she has a language disorder.
When a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or has problems with his or her voice, then he or she has a speech disorder.
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Language- socially shared rules the include the following:
What words mean (e.g., "star" can refer to a bright object in the night sky or a celebrity) How to make new words (e.g., friend, friendly, unfriendly)
The UNDERSTANDING of what is being spoken or shown to an individual, this is receptive language.
Expressive language is the sounds, words, sentences made by an individual. This includes verbal and non-verbal means.
How to put words together (e.g., "Peg walked to the new store" rather than "Peg walk store new")
What word combinations are best in what situations ("Would you mind moving your foot?" could quickly change to "Get off my foot, please!" if the first request did not produce results)
Language and speech disorders can exist together or individually. The problem can be mild or severe.
Language also includes non-verbal means, such as sign language, gestures, actions, or use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) such as picture exchange (PECS), picture choices, and/ or a communication device.
Birth-3 months old
Startles at loud sounds
Quiets or smiles when you talk.
Seems to recognize your voice. Quiets if crying.
Makes cooing sounds.
Cries change for different needs.
Smiles at people.
4-6 months old
Moves their eyes in the direction of sounds.
Responds to changes in your tone of voice.
Notices toys that make sounds.
Pays attention to music.
Coos and babbles when playing alone or with you.
Makes speech-like babbling sounds, like pa, ba, and mi.
Giggles and laughs.
Makes sounds when happy or upset.
7 months-1 year old
Turns and looks in the direction of sounds.
Looks when you point.
Turns when you call their name.
Understands words for common items and people—words like cup, truck, juice, and daddy.
Starts to respond to simple words and phrases, like “No,” “Come here,” and “Want more?”
Plays games with you, like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
Listens to songs and stories for a short time.
Babbles long strings of sounds, like mimi upup babababa.
Uses sounds and gestures to get and keep attention.
Points to objects and shows them to others.
Uses gestures like waving bye, reaching for “up,” and shaking his head no.
Imitates different speech sounds.
Says 1 or 2 words, like hi, dog, dada, mama, or uh-oh. This will happen around their first birthday, but sounds may not be clear.
These milestones were derived from www.ASHA.org
1-2 years old
Points to a few body parts when you ask.
Follows 1-part directions, like "Roll the ball" or "Kiss the baby."
Responds to simple questions, like “Who’s that?” or “Where’s your shoe?”
Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
Points to pictures in a book when you name them.
Uses a lot of new words.
Uses p, b, m, h, and w in words.
Starts to name pictures in books.
Asks questions, like “What's that?”, “Who’s that?”, and “Where’s kitty?”
Puts 2 words together, like "more apple," "no bed," and "mommy book."
2-3 years old
Understands opposites, like go–stop, big–little, and up–down.
Follows 2-part directions, like "Get the spoon and put it on the table."
Understands new words quickly.
Has a word for almost everything.
Talks about things that are not in the room.
Uses k, g, f, t, d, and n in words.
Uses words like in, on, and under.
Uses two- or three- words to talk about and ask for things.
People who know your child can understand them.
Asks “Why?”
Puts 3 words together to talk about things. May repeat some words and sounds.
3-4 years old
Responds when you call from another room.
Understands words for some colors, like red, blue, and green.
Understands words for some shapes, like circle and square.
Understands words for family, like brother, grandmother, and aunt.
Answers simple who, what, and where questions.
Says rhyming words, like hat–cat.
Uses pronouns, like I, you, me, we, and they.
Uses some plural words, like toys, birds, and buses.
Most people understand what your child says.
Asks when and how questions.
Puts 4 words together. May make some mistakes, like “I goed to school.”
Talks about what happened during the day. Uses about 4 sentences at a time.
4-5 years old
Understands words for order, like first, next, and last.
Understands words for time, like yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Follows longer directions, like “Put your pajamas on, brush your teeth, and then pick out a book.”
Follows classroom directions, like “Draw a circle on your paper around something you eat.”
Hears and understands most of what they hear at home and in school.
Says all speech sounds in words. May make mistakes on sounds that are harder to say, like l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, and th.
Responds to “What did you say?”
Talks without repeating sounds or words most of the time.
Names letters and numbers.
Uses sentences that have more than 1 action word, like jump, play, and get. May make some mistakes, like “Zach gots 2 video games, but I got one.”
Tells a short story.
Keeps a conversation going.
Talks in different ways, depending on the listener and place. Your child may use short sentences with younger children. They may talk louder outside than inside.
Development of Speech Sounds
Rather than provide exact ages for each sound (since there are several studies that have variation on when speech sounds should be mastered) . Here is a list of the early 8, mid 8 and late 8 sounds.
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These are the first, early sounds developed in the English Language (babies can start to say these sounds as young as 5 months, some kids will say in error up to age 3 years old):
/p/, /d/, /h/, /b/, /m/, /n/, /w/, /t/
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These sounds are generally acquired after the “early 8”, but sometimes develop alongside them. Most children will have most of these sounds by age 2-6. (depending on what study you reference)
/k/, /g/, /f/, /ng/, /v/, /j/ (as in “yes”), /d3/ (as in “jump”), /3/ (as in “giraffe”)
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These are most common to see in error, and can be tricky to target. They are more complex and require more coordinated movements of the lips, tongue, jaw. These sounds are developed between the ages of 2-8 years old. (depending on the study)
/s/, /z/, /l/, /r/, /sh/, /ch/, voiced and voiceless /th/