Celebrating National Speech-Language-Hearing Month

May is the perfect time to bring awareness to speech and language disorders as they rank among the most common affecting children today. We'll discuss communication milestones and strategies you can start using at home today to support your child's speech and language development!

For families, learning the early signs of these disorders and knowing when to seek an evaluation can make all the difference. A child’s communication skills are the foundation for their learning, future reading and writing success, academic performance, social interactions, and even behavioral regulation. The first three years of life are critical as 80% of a child’s brain development occurs in this window. We always encourage parents to trust their gut and seek help if they have concerns at any age. There is no downside to getting a consultation or a screening. An evaluation doesn’t automatically mean your child will need services, but it will empower you with information to best support them!

Families should familiarize themselves with communication milestones—the skills most children achieve within specific age ranges. Both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) offer developmental milestone checklists. Here are just a couple per age:

• Birth–3 months: Startles at loud sounds. Makes cooing sounds.

• 4–6 months: Moves eyes in the direction of sounds. Coos and babbles when playing.

• 7 months–1 year: Turns when you call their name. Says 1 or 2 words, like hi, mama, or uh-oh.

• 1–2 years: Follows 1-part directions. Puts 2 words together, like "more apple," "no bed," and "mommy book."

• 2–3 years: Points to pictures when you name them. Puts 3 words together.

• 3–4 years: Answers simple who, what, and where questions. Uses pronouns, plurals, and asks questions. 

• 4–5 years: Understands most of what they hear at home and in school. Tells short stories.

These lists are perfect to keep on your fridge to celebrate and check off skills as your child learns them. Children may not meet every single milestone listed for their exact age, and that’s okay! However, if your child is missing several skills, isn't learning new skills, or is losing skills they once had, an evaluation is the best next step.

Here are highly effective ways to encourage language development each day:

• Narrate Your Day: Talk out loud about what you’re doing, what your child is doing, and what you both see.

• Embrace Bilingualism: Communicate with your child in the languages you are most comfortable using. Bilingualism does not cause speech delays or disorders!

• Expand Vocabulary: Help your child listen and understand by pairing your spoken directions with visual supports or gestures.

• Support Comprehension: Tell stories frequently and read together as much as possible. Talk about what happened in the story and point out details in the pictures. Read to them in all the languages they are learning.

• Focus on Literacy: Tell stories frequently and read together as much as possible. Talk about what happened in the story and point out details in the pictures. Read to them in the languages they are learning.

• Model, Don't Interrupt: Try not to interrupt your child to correct their speech sounds. Instead, simply repeat the word back to them with the correct pronunciation to provide a good model.

• Make Screen Time Interactive: Set limits on screen time to prioritize talking, reading, and playing. When you do use screens, co-watch with your child, talk about what is happening, and connect the show to their real-life environment.

Use milestones as a guide to celebrate your child’s progress and these daily communication opportunities to build language naturally and pressure-free at home. If you have concerns about your child's communication development, SLPs are uniquely trained to help you support your child's communication journey!