Understanding Your Child’s Speech Development
Every parent wonders whether their child’s speech and language development is on track. While every child develops at their own pace, there are general milestones that speech-language pathologists use as guidelines. At SpeakClearly in Johannesburg, we help parents understand these milestones and identify when early intervention may be beneficial.
Birth to 6 Months
During the first six months, babies begin to recognise familiar voices and respond to sounds. They start cooing and making vowel-like sounds. By around 4-6 months, babbling begins with consonant-vowel combinations like “ba-ba” and “ma-ma.”
6 to 12 Months
Babbling becomes more varied and speech-like. Babies begin to understand simple words like “no” and “bye-bye.” First words typically emerge around 12 months, though this varies. They point to objects and use gestures to communicate.
12 to 18 Months
Vocabulary grows to approximately 10-20 words. Toddlers begin combining gestures with words and can follow simple instructions. They understand far more words than they can say.
18 to 24 Months
A vocabulary explosion typically occurs, with children learning new words rapidly. Two-word combinations emerge, such as “more milk” or “daddy go.” By 24 months, most children have at least 50 words.
2 to 3 Years
Sentences of 2-3 words become common. Speech becomes more understandable to familiar listeners (about 50-75% intelligible). Children begin asking questions and using pronouns.
3 to 5 Years
By age 3, most speech sounds are developing well. Sentences become longer and more complex. By age 5, speech should be mostly intelligible to unfamiliar listeners. Children can tell simple stories and engage in conversations.
When to Seek Help
If your child is not meeting these milestones, or if you have any concerns about their communication development, early assessment is key. At SpeakClearly’s speech therapy practice in Johannesburg, we offer comprehensive assessments for children of all ages.
Book a speech and language assessment today. Contact us at 060 361 0834 or admin@speakclearly.co.za.
Related: For practical next steps at home, read How to Help a Late Talker at Home: 5 Strategies That Actually Work.