Speech
Understanding Speech Sound Development
Speech sounds are individual sounds that we use to form words. Children learn to produce different sounds gradually as they grow, and it’s completely normal for some sounds to take longer to develop than others. For example, the /r/ sound is typically mastered around the age of 5 or 6, so we wouldn’t be worried if a 3-year-old hasn’t yet figured out how to make it! Dodd et al (2003)
As children are learning to talk, they often simplify speech using patterns known as phonological processes. These are typical strategies that help young children manage making tricky sounds and using them in words. For example, it’s common for children to say sounds made at the back of the mouth—like /k/ and /g/—as sounds made at the front, such as /t/ and /d/ (so "car" becomes "tar"). This is known as fronting, and it's expected in younger children up until approximately 3.5 years of age. Dodd et al (2003)
While producing speech errors are all normal parts of early speech development, they do usually resolve as children get older.
You might consider seeking support if your child:
is difficult to understand compared to other children their age
becomes frustrated when trying to speak or be understood
uses simplified or incorrect speech patterns (e.g. saying “tat” for “cat” or “cool” for “school”)
Makes consistent errors with certain sounds and is unable to produce them accurately, even when asked to say the sound on its own
The table’s below show the developmental norms for speech sounds and phonological processes.
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Speech Sound Development Norms
Age Speech Sounds Typically Acquired
By 3 years /p, b, m, n, h, w, d/ Early developing sounds. Speech should mostly be clear (intelligible) to familiar listeners.
By 4 years /t, k, g, f, y, ng/ (/ŋ/), initial /l/. Most children are understood by familiar and some unfamiliar listeners.
By 5 years /v, s, z, sh (/ʃ/), ch (/tʃ/), j (/dʒ/), final /l/. Some errors may still be present but speech should be clear (intelligible) to all listeners.
By 6 years /r, zh (/ʒ/ as in "measure")/ Consonant blends may still be developing (e.g. "sp," "tr").
By 7–8 years/th/ (voiceless /θ/ as in "thin", and voiced /ð/ as in "this"). Most children have acquired all English speech sounds by this age.
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Phonological Process Description Age typically resolved
Final Consonant Deletion. Leaving off the final consonant in a word (e.g. ca for cat). 3 years
Reduplication. Repeating a syllable (e.g. baba for bottle) 3 years
Weak Syllable Deletion. Leaving out the weak syllable (e.g. nana for banana) 4 years
Fronting Replacing back sounds with front ones (e.g. tat for cat). 4 years
Consonant Harmony One sound in a word becomes more like another (e.g. gog for dog). 3–3.5 years
Stopping. Replacing long sounds like /f, s/ with short sounds like /p, t/
(e.g. tun for sun)/f, s/ by 3; /ʃ, tʃ, θ, ð/ 5 years
Gliding Replacing /r/ and /l/ with /w/ or /j/ (e.g. wabbit for rabbit) 6–7 years
Cluster Reduction Omitting part of a consonant blend (e.g. pane for plane) 5 years (may persist longer for complex clusters)
Deaffrication Replacing affricates with fricatives (e.g. ship for chip) 4–4.5 years
Initial Consonant Deletion Omitting the first consonant of a word (e.g. at for cat) Atypical at any age
Backing Replacing front sounds with back sounds (e.g. gog for dog) Atypical at any age
How You Can Help Your Child’s Speech Production
Model Clear Speech. Try to speak at a pace that is comfortable for your child to follow.
Give them time to talk. Giving your child time to finish what they’re saying helps build their confidence and fluency.
Encourage Imitation. Encourage your child to imitate sounds and words. You can make this fun by using games or singing songs that involve repetitive phrases.
Focus on what your child is saying rather than how they’re saying it.
Be Patient and Encouraging. Celebrate their attempts at speaking, even if they are not perfect. Positive reinforcement builds confidence and encourages further attempts.
Be aware of screen time. While technology can be educational, real-life interactions are crucial for speech development. Engage in face-to-face conversations as much as possible.
Practice Sounds and Words. Use play-based activities to practice specific sounds or words that may be challenging for your child. This can include rhyming games or using toys that emphasize certain sounds.
Repeat back clearly and avoiding correcting. If your child says a word unclearly, try not to correct them, simply repeat it back correctly emphasising the correct sound (e.g., if your child says “tar,” you might respond, “yes, a car!”
Talk about things you’re both looking at — shared focus helps make communication easier and more meaningful.
Reduce background noise where possible, such as turning off the TV, music, or tablet during conversations. This helps your child hear your speech more clearly.
What to Do If You Don’t Understand
Ask your child to say it again in a gentle, encouraging way, such as “Oops, I missed that — can you tell me again?”
Encourage them to show you what they mean, if they can.
Ask simple questions to help you figure it out — for example, “Is it something we saw outside?” or “Are you talking about a person or a toy?”
Repeat the part you did understand, so your child only has to fill in the missing bit.
Suggest they try explaining it in another way — using a gesture, action, pointing, or even drawing or writing it down if they’re older.
If they start to get frustrated, let them know it’s okay — say something like, “I know it’s hard when I don’t understand straight away, but we’ll figure it out together, do you want to keep trying’ . Feeling heard and supported can help reduce their frustration.
How Speech and Language Therapy Can Support Children’s Speech
Speech and Language Therapy can help support children with Speech Sound Disorders. It begins with a complete assessment of your child's speech to identify if there is a Speech Sound Disorder and, if so, what type. If therapy is deemed necessary, it involves a series of direct therapy sessions. The methods may include helping your child hear sound differences, improving sound production, or practicing the use of challenging sounds in their speech. Parents, carers, and teachers are included in the process, and resources are shared with families and schools to integrate into daily routines and support skill use.