Ages and Stages

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    My child is hard to understand at school age. Should I be concerned?

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    Many parents notice speech errors when their children are toddlers. At that stage it often feels quite normal. Young children are still learning the sounds of their language, and those early mispronunciations can be very endearing.

    But as children grow older, parents sometimes begin to wonder:

    ‘Should my child still be speaking like this?’

    A common concern I hear from families is that their child is still difficult to understand even after starting school. Sometimes it is a parent who notices it first. Other times it is a teacher who gently mentions that classmates occasionally struggle to understand what a child is saying.

    When this happens, parents naturally wonder whether it is something their child will grow out of, or whether some extra support might help.

    When should children’s speech be clear?

    Children learn speech sounds gradually over several years. Some sounds develop earlier, while others take longer to master.

    By the time children reach five to six years of age, most of their speech should be clear enough for unfamiliar adults to understand. There may still be a few tricky sounds developing (such as /R/ or /TH/), but overall speech should be fairly easy to follow.

    If a child is frequently difficult to understand at school age, it can sometimes indicate that a speech sound difficulty has persisted beyond the stage when it would normally resolve on its own.

    Why some children remain hard to understand

    There are several reasons why speech clarity may still be developing in older children.

    Phonological patterns

    Some children continue to use speech patterns that are typical of younger children. For example:

    • saying ‘tat’ instead of ‘cat’
    • saying ‘doe’ instead of ‘go’
    • leaving sounds out of words

    These patterns are called phonological processes. They are a normal part of early speech development, but when they persist into the school years they can make speech difficult for others to understand.

    Difficulty producing specific sounds

    Other children may have difficulty producing certain individual sounds clearly. This might include sounds such as:

    • /S/
    • /SH/
    • /R/
    • /TH/

    These difficulties are called articulation difficulties.

    A child might understand exactly what they want to say but find it hard to produce the sound accurately with their tongue, lips or airflow.

    Motor speech planning challenges

    For some children, the difficulty lies in the planning and coordination of the movements needed for speech.

    Speech requires very precise timing between the tongue, lips, jaw and breath. If the brain finds it difficult to organise these movements consistently, speech can sound unclear or inconsistent.

    In some cases this may relate to Childhood Apraxia of Speech, although only a full assessment can determine this.

    Why clarity matters for school-age children

    Speech clarity becomes particularly important once children start school.

    At this stage, children are:

    • Answering questions in class
    • Talking with friends
    • Reading aloud
    • Developing confidence in communication

    When speech is difficult to understand, children sometimes become more hesitant to speak, particularly in group situations.

    This can affect confidence and participation, even when the child has lots of ideas they would like to share.

    The good news: speech can improve

    The encouraging news is that speech sound difficulties can often improve significantly with the right support.

    Speech therapy focuses on helping children:

    • Learn how sounds are produced
    • Practise accurate speech movements
    • Understand how sounds change meaning in words
    • Build consistency through structured practice

    Different children benefit from different therapy approaches. Some need support with phonological patterns, while others benefit from more motor-based practice that strengthens speech coordination.

    Often therapy combines several strategies to support the child’s individual speech profile.

    When to seek advice

    If your child is already at school and you find that people outside the family often struggle to understand them, it can be helpful to seek advice from a speech and language therapist.

    A detailed assessment can help identify:

    • Which sounds are causing difficulty
    • Whether patterns such as fronting or sound substitutions are present
    • Whether motor planning challenges may be contributing
    • Which therapy approach is likely to be most effective

    Early support can help children develop clearer speech and greater confidence in communication.

    Every child’s speech journey is different

    Speech development is not the same for every child. Some children master speech sounds quickly, while others need a little more guidance along the way.

    The important thing is that support is available when children need it.

    With the right strategies and practice, many children make excellent progress and develop speech that is clearer, more confident and easier for others to understand. If you are concerned about your child’s speech clarity or ongoing speech sound errors, a speech and language assessment can help identify the underlying difficulty and guide the most appropriate support.

    Feel free to contact me on my contact page.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    Understanding phonological processes in 3–7-year-olds: What’s typical and when to seek help

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    As a speech and language therapist, one of the most common questions I hear from parents is:

    ‘They can talk, but their speech still sounds immature. Is this normal?’

    Many children between the ages of three and seven use speech patterns that make their words sound different from adult speech. These patterns are known as phonological processes, and for younger children, they are a normal part of speech development.

    However, when these processes persist beyond the expected age, they can start to affect clarity, confidence and learning, especially once children enter school.

    This blog will help you understand:

    • what phonological processes are
    • which patterns are typical at different ages
    • and when it might be time to seek speech therapy support

    What are phonological processes?

    Phonological processes are patterns of sound simplification that children use while their speech system is developing.

    Instead of learning each sound one by one, children initially organise sounds into patterns that make speech easier to produce. This is a normal and efficient strategy for a developing brain.

    For example:

    • saying ‘tar’ instead of ‘car’
    • saying ‘poon’ instead of ‘spoon’
    • saying ‘bud’ instead of ‘bus’

    These are not ‘bad habits’. They are part of how speech develops.

    The key question is how long these patterns last.

    Common phonological processes (and when they usually disappear)

    Below are some of the most common processes parents notice in 3–7-year-olds.

    1. Final consonant deletion

    Leaving off the last sound in a word

    • ‘ca’ for cat, ‘da’ for dog
    • Typically resolved by 3–3½ years

    2. Fronting

    Replacing back sounds (k, g) with front sounds (t, d)

    • ‘tar’ for car, ‘do’ for go
    • Typically resolved by 3½–4 years

    3. Cluster reduction

    Omitting one sound in a consonant cluster

    • ‘poon’ for spoon, ‘top’ for stop
    • Typically resolves by 4–5 years (some clusters slightly later)

    4. Gliding

    Replacing /R/ or /L/ with /W/ or /Y/

    • ‘wabbit’ for rabbit, ‘yion’ for lion
    • Can be typical up to 5–6 years

    5. Weak syllable deletion

    Leaving out unstressed syllables

    • ‘nana’ for banana
    • Usually resolved by 4 years

    If these patterns continue past the expected age, speech can remain difficult to understand particularly for unfamiliar listeners such as teachers, peers, and also Auntie Karen or grandparents who visit once in a while.

    Why phonological processes matter in school-age children

    By the time children reach reception and Year 1, speech clarity becomes increasingly important.

    Persistent phonological difficulties can affect:

    • being understood by teachers and peers
    • phonics and early reading
    • spelling
    • confidence in speaking
    • willingness to participate in class

    Some children become aware that they ‘sound different’ and may speak less, avoid longer words, or become frustrated when misunderstood.

    What’s the difference between a delay and a disorder?

    This is an important distinction.

    • A phonological delay means a child is following the normal pattern of development, just more slowly.
    • A phonological disorder means the child is using atypical patterns, or continuing age-expected patterns well beyond when they should have resolved.

    A speech and language assessment helps identify:

    • which processes are present
    • how many are affecting speech
    • how consistent the errors are
    • and whether intervention is needed

    Signs it may be time to seek speech therapy

    You may want to seek professional advice if your child:

    • is 3½ years or older and still hard to understand
    • is understood well by family but not by others
    • becomes frustrated or avoids talking
    • has difficulty with phonics or spelling
    • uses several phonological processes at once
    • has not made progress despite time and encouragement

    Early support does not mean something is ‘wrong’. It simply helps speech development move forward more efficiently.Research consistently shows that unresolved phonological processes beyond the expected age can impact intelligibility, literacy and confidence (Dodd, 2014; Bowen, 2015).

    How speech therapy helps phonological development

    Phonological therapy is not about drilling individual sounds endlessly.

    Instead, therapy focuses on:

    • helping children recognise sound patterns
    • building awareness of contrasts (e.g. ‘tar’ vs ‘car’)
    • practising speech in meaningful, playful ways
    • supporting generalisation so progress carries into everyday speech

    For school-aged children, therapy is usually structured, motivating and highly targeted and progress can be very encouraging.

    A final reassurance

    Many children with phonological difficulties go on to develop clear, confident speech with the right support.

    If you’re unsure whether your child’s speech is ‘just a phase’ or something that needs attention, a professional assessment can give clarity and peace of mind.

    If you’d like support or advice, please contact me and I can help guide the next steps.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Research references

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Signs and first steps (2–5 years)

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    If you’ve found yourself wondering ‘Why can my child say a word one day, but not at all the next?’ it might be that your child has a motor speech difficulty. This means the challenge isn’t that your child doesn’t know what they want to say; it’s that their brain finds it harder to plan and coordinate the movements needed for clear speech. This speech difficulty is called Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

    Sonja showing power words on a board

    In this post, I’ll explain what CAS can look like in 2–5 year olds, what an assessment usually involves, and what you can start doing at home to support your child without turning life into ‘speech homework all day long’.

    What is childhood apraxia of speech (CAS)?

    Children with CAS often have lots to communicate about (and strong ideas!) but their speech may come out as:

    • Unclear
    • inconsistent
    • hard to ‘copy’ on demand
    • frustrating for them and for you

    CAS is not caused by laziness and it is not a parenting issue. It is also not something children simply ‘grow out of’ without support. But with the right therapy approach, children can absolutely build clearer speech over time.

    If you’d like to read more about verbal dyspraxia, you may also find this helpful: Supporting children and families living with verbal dyspraxia.

    Why is CAS such a big topic right now?

    Many families come to me after months (or years) of being told:

    • ‘She’ll talk when she is ready’
    • ‘He’s just shy’
    • ‘It’s probably a speech delay’
    • ‘It’s normal for toddlers’

    And sometimes it is a general delay. But sometimes it’s something more specific, like CAS.

    There’s also been a huge rise in parents seeking information online, and CAS is often mentioned alongside speech sound difficulties such as:

    • phonological delay (pattern-based speech errors)
    • articulation difficulties (one sound that won’t come out clearly)
    • inconsistent speech disorder

    These can look similar at first glance, which is why a specialist assessment matters.

    Signs of childhood apraxia of speech in 2–5 year olds

    Children develop speech at different rates, and not every unclear speaker has CAS. But here are some common features that may raise a flag, especially when you notice several together.

    1) Inconsistent speech errors

    Your child might say the same word in different ways:

    • ‘banana’ → nana / baba / mana
    • ‘daddy’ → gaga / daddy / dadi

    This inconsistency is one of the biggest clues.

    2) Difficulty copying words on request

    Some children speak more easily in natural play, but when asked ‘Say ___’, they freeze or the word becomes much harder.

    3) Limited sound repertoire

    They may use only a small set of consonants (like /M/, /N/, /B/, /D/) and avoid others.

    4) Vowel distortions

    Many children with typical delays mainly struggle with consonants. But in CAS, vowels can also sound ‘off’ or change between attempts.

    5) Speech that sounds effortful

    You might notice your child:

    • pauses between sounds
    • tries multiple times
    • looks like they’re ‘searching’ for the right mouth movement

    6) Longer words are much harder

    ‘Car’ might be easier than ‘carry’, and ‘carry’ easier than ‘caterpillar’.

    7) Prosody differences (rhythm and stress)

    Some children with CAS sound a little unusual in their speech rhythm, stress, or intonation.

    8) Frustration or reduced confidence

    When a child is frequently misunderstood, they may:

    • talk less
    • use gestures more
    • become upset when asked to repeat themselves

    Important note: none of these signs alone prove CAS but they are a strong reason to seek a speech assessment rather than waiting.

    CAS vs phonological delay vs articulation difficulty (quick guide)

    These are some of the most common questions I hear.

    If it’s mainly an articulation difficulty…

    A child may consistently say one sound incorrectly (for example, ‘thun’ for ‘sun’- lisp- but everything else is developing well.

    If it’s mainly a phonological delay…

    You might notice clear patterns, like:

    • leaving off the ends of words (‘ca’ for ‘cat’)
    • swapping back sounds for front sounds (‘tar’ for ‘car’)

    Patterns are often consistent and respond well to phonology-based therapy.

    If it might be CAS…

    Speech often feels less predictable, harder to imitate, and more impacted by word length and complexity.

    If you’re unsure, that’s completely normal, and exactly why assessment matters.

    What happens in a CAS assessment?

    A high-quality speech assessment for possible CAS usually includes:

    1) Parent discussion and developmental history

    We talk about:

    • pregnancy and birth history (where relevant)
    • feeding history
    • early sounds and babbling
    • first words and how speech has progressed
    • family history of speech/language needs

    2) A speech sound assessment

    Your child might be shown pictures or play-based prompts so we can hear:

    • what sounds they can say
    • what they simplify
    • whether errors are consistent or inconsistent

    3) An oral-motor and movement check

    This isn’t about ‘strength’. It’s about coordination and planning. We look at how your child manages speech movements and transitions.

    4) Stimulability testing

    This means: how easily can your child learn a new sound or word with support?

    For CAS, we often explore how they respond to:

    • slowed-down speech
    • visual cues
    • rhythm/tapping
    • short, simple syllable shapes

    5) Functional communication and confidence

    We look at how speech impacts daily life:

    • being understood at nursery
    • joining in with peers
    • asking for help
    • managing emotions when misunderstood

    At the end, you should leave with:

    • a clear explanation of what we think is going on
    • a therapy plan
    • practical home strategies
    • realistic next steps

    What parents can do at home

    Here are CAS-friendly strategies you can start right away.

    1) Choose ‘power words’

    Pick 1–2 words that matter most in your child’s daily life, such as:

    • more
    • help
    • mummy
    • again
    • stop
    • open

    These words are motivating and functional.

    2) Keep it short and successful

    For many children with CAS, the goal is quality over quantity.

    Try five minutes a day rather than 30 minutes of struggle.

    3) Support speech with rhythm

    Some children benefit from:

    • tapping a beat on the table
    • clapping syllables
    • using a gentle ‘marching’ rhythm

    This can help the brain organise the sequence of movements.

    4) Celebrate approximations

    If your child says ‘moh’ for ‘more’, that’s communication!

    We want them to feel:

    • safe
    • understood
    • proud to try again

    Confidence is a key part of progress.

    A short parent story (anonymised)

    One mum said to me:

    ‘We kept being told to wait. But I could see my child understood everything; they just couldn’t get the words out. Once we had an assessment and a plan, it felt like we finally knew what to do. The biggest change was his confidence. He started trying more.’

    When should you seek support?

    You don’t need to wait until school.

    It’s worth getting an assessment if your child is:

    • hard to understand compared with peers
    • becoming frustrated or withdrawing from talking
    • inconsistent with words they used to say
    • struggling to imitate speech sounds
    • showing signs that match CAS

    Early support can reduce stress for the whole family and help your child feel successful in communication.

    Here’s how I can help:

    ✅ A detailed speech assessment (including whether CAS is likely)

    ✅ A clear therapy plan with realistic goals

    ✅ Practical home strategies you can use immediately

    ✅ Support for nurseries and schools (where needed)

    ✅ In-person sessions in North-West London and online options

    Book your consultation here.

    Final gentle reminder

    You are not overreacting. Trust your instincts.

    Your child is communicating the best way they can, and with the right support, speech can become easier, clearer, and more confident.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    The power of babble: Why your baby’s ‘talk’ matters

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    That adorable string of ‘ba-ba-ga-ga-ma-ma’ might sound like baby gibberish, but it’s actually a crucial milestone in your little one’s language development. Babbling or babble, as we call it, is far more than just cute baby noises. It’s a sequence of sounds that lays the foundation for future communication.

    Image by freepik

    What is babbling?

    Babbling typically begins around six months of age, though the timing can vary slightly from baby to baby. It involves your baby experimenting with different sounds, stringing together consonants and vowels. You might hear them repeating sounds like:

    • ‘Ba-ba’
    • ‘Da-da’
    • ‘Ma-ma’
    • ‘Ga-ga’

    As they progress, the babbling becomes more complex, with variations in pitch, rhythm, and intonation. It might even sound like they’re having a conversation with you!

    Why is babbling so important?

    1. Laying the groundwork for speech: Babbling is like a vocal workout for your baby. By practising these sounds, they’re strengthening the muscles in their mouth, tongue, and vocal cords that are essential for speech.
    2. Developing phonological skills: Through babbling, babies begin to understand the sound patterns of their native language. They’re learning which sounds go together and how they’re used.
    3. Enhancing social interaction: Babbling is a social activity. Babies often babble back and forth with their caregivers, which helps them learn about the give-and-take of communication.
    4. Cognitive development: The act of babbling requires babies to use their brains in new ways. They’re learning to control their vocalisations, pay attention to the sounds they’re making, and connect those sounds to the responses they receive from others.

    How can you encourage babbling?

    • Talk to your baby: Even though they can’t understand your words yet, talking to your baby exposes them to language and encourages them to respond with their own vocalisations.
    • Imitate their sounds: When your baby babbles, imitate them! This shows them that you’re paying attention and encourages them to keep ‘talking.’
    • Respond to their babbling: Treat your baby’s babbling as if it’s a real conversation. Respond with words, smiles, and gestures.
    • Play sound games: Make different sounds for your baby and encourage them to imitate you. This could include animal sounds, silly noises, or simple words.
    • Read to your baby: Even before they can understand the words, reading to your baby exposes them to the rhythm and sounds of language.
    • Sing songs: Singing is a fun and engaging way to introduce your baby to new sounds and words.
    • Use mirrors: Babies often enjoy watching themselves make sounds in a mirror.
    • Tactile stimulation: Gentle massage around the mouth and face can increase oral awareness and encourage vocalisations.
    • Vary textures: Offer different textured teethers.
    • Read books with sound effects: Choose books with animal sounds or other engaging noises.
    • Blow bubbles: The act of blowing and popping bubbles can encourage vocalisations.
    • Use visual aids: Show pictures of objects and say their names, emphasising the consonant sounds.
    • Use exaggerated facial expressions: When you make sounds, exaggerate your mouth movements to help your baby see how sounds are made.
    • Increase joint attention: Follow the child’s gaze and point to objects that they are looking at and say the name of the object.

    When to seek help

    If you notice that your baby is not babbling by eight months, it’s a good idea to talk to your speech and language therapist. You might also notice a lack of variation in tone when your child is making sounds, is your baby sounding a little ‘flat’ or monotonous? While every child develops at their own pace, a lack of babbling can sometimes indicate a developmental delay or hearing issue.

    Remember, babbling is a gift. So, enjoy those precious moments of ‘baby talk’ and take comfort in knowing that your little one is on the path to becoming a chatterbox!

    Do get in touch via my contact form if you are concerned about your child’s development or if you simply want some reassurance that your baby is developing well. We will be delighted to arrange a screening appointment for you and give you support and reassurance.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    Great toys and books for our toddlers (around 1–2 years old)

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    As a speech and language therapist, I often get asked by parents what toys and books they should buy for their toddlers. It can feel overwhelming with so many options available! So, I’ve put together a list based on my experience and what I’ve found works well.

    Remember, every child is unique!

    Observe your toddler’s interests and play style. Some toys that are popular might not be engaging for your child.

    Here are a few ideas to get you started:

    Sensory Toys:

    • Stacking cups: These are fantastic for developing hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and understanding size relationships. (Various brands available) Note: You can stack many things you have around the house, like bowls or measuring cups, for a similar experience!
    • Shape sorters: Help with shape recognition, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving. (Melissa & Doug, Vtech)
    • Sensory balls: Balls with different textures (soft, bumpy, squishy) provide tactile stimulation. (Various brands)
    • Push and pull toys: Encourage gross motor development and exploration. (Vtech, Fisher-Price)

    Communication-focused toys:

    • Picture books with flaps: Engage curiosity and encourage language development. (Various brands)
    • Talking toys: Introduce new vocabulary and encourage imitation. (Vtech, Fisher-Price)
    • Simple puzzles: Develop hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and spatial awareness. (Melissa & Doug, Ravensburger)
    • Musical instruments: Encourage exploration of sounds and develop auditory skills. (Bright Starts, Fisher-Price)

    Now, let’s talk about books:

    • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: A classic with repetitive text and vibrant illustrations, great for introducing vocabulary and concepts like days of the week.
    • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle: Simple, repetitive text and engaging illustrations make this a favourite for many toddlers.
    • Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown: A soothing bedtime story with calming illustrations.
    • Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt: An interactive book with textures and flaps to engage young children.
    • Corduroy by Don Freeman: A heartwarming story about a teddy bear who loses his button.

    Remember:

    • Observe your child’s interests: Choose toys and books that capture their attention and encourage exploration.
    • Engage with your child: Play with the toys together and read books aloud with enthusiasm.
    • Keep it simple: Start with a few toys and books and gradually introduce new ones.
    • Rotate toys: Keep playtime fresh by rotating toys and books regularly.
    • Most importantly, have fun! Reading and playing with your child should be a joyful experience for both of you.

    Also consider the power of open-ended play

    In today’s world filled with electronic gadgets, it’s easy to overlook the value of open-ended play. Open-ended toys lack specific functions or prescribed outcomes, allowing children to use their imaginations to explore and create. Unlike toys with pre-determined ways to play, open-ended toys encourage:

    • Creative thinking: Children can use them in countless ways, developing their own rules and narratives. A block can become a car, a house, or a spaceship, depending on the child’s imagination.
    • Problem-solving skills: Children learn to figure out how to use the toys, experimenting and adapting as they go. Don’t immediately rush in and fix things for your little one, let them think for themselves and then communication incentive: let them come and find you!
    • Fine motor skills: Many open-ended toys, like blocks, encourage the development of fine motor skills like grasping, stacking, and building.
    • Cognitive development: Children learn about cause and effect, spatial relationships, and problem-solving as they play with open-ended toys.
    • Social-emotional development: Open-ended play can foster social interaction and cooperation as children play together and share ideas.

    Simple toys with big impact

    Some of the best toys for toddlers are often the simplest ones. Here are a few examples:

    • Wooden blocks: Building towers, bridges, and forts encourages creativity and problem-solving.
    • Balls: Throwing, kicking, and rolling balls promote gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
    • Fabric: Bits of fabric can be draped, draped, and used for imaginative play.
    • Empty boxes: From cardboard boxes to tissue boxes, these can be transformed into anything a child can imagine: a car, a house, a spaceship!
    • Natural materials: Sticks, leaves, pinecones, and rocks can be used for imaginative play and sensory exploration.

    Remember, the key to open-ended play is to let children explore and discover

    Step back and observe, allowing your child to use his or her imaginations without too much direction. You might be surprised at the creative ways he or she uses simple toys!

    Happy play times with your little one!

    Contact me via my contact form.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

    Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    Navigating the exciting 9–18 months journey: Your baby’s communication milestones

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    Between 9 and 18 months, your little one undergoes a remarkable transformation, blossoming from a curious explorer into a budding communicator. This period is filled with exciting milestones in speech, language, and social development. Let’s delve into what you can expect.

    9–12 months: The world opens up

    Communication takes flight

    • Babbling becomes more complex with a wider range of sounds. By babbling we mean syllables like: pa ga ka ma da and then ‘baba’ gohgoh’. First we hear one and two syllables together and then longer and longer strings! This is so exciting!
    • First words! One day around the 12 months–14 months mark we hear a first word! My older son’s first word was ‘Licht’ which is the German word for ‘light’ as literally every time I carried him along the corridors in our home, I pointed out the light switches to him and turned them off and on a few times. And each time I said ‘Licht!’ and it stuck! PS: sadly I cannot remember what my younger son’s first word was… poor second and third babies they just have to muddle along and call loudly to get noticed!
    • Understanding grows! Baby now understands simple instructions like ‘where is your ball’ and responds by looking to the ball across the room!

    Social butterflies

    • Your baby now starts to show interest in other children, and may try to copy their actions. Now we are getting proper traction with simple social games like peek-a-boo and patty-cake. Whilst your baby is generally interested in other people and children he or she may show separation anxiety when mum or dad or other familiar person suddenly leaves the room and they feel alone with strangers.

    Fine motor skills

    • Pincer grasp develops. This is where your child puts an index finger to the thumb in order to pick up of small objects, hold them and transfer them to either a box, back on the floor or into the other hand.
    • Your baby may start to explore objects by banging, shaking, and mouthing.

    12–15 months: Words are taking shape

    • Language explosion: From our early words we now suddenly see baby’s vocabulary expanding, with new words added each week. I would highly recommend parents keep a little journal of all the words they hear. If nothing else this is a wonderful aide-memoire for years down the road when you might like to reminisce about the first ten words. I promise you otherwise you won’t recall! (especially for second and third babies; I would do this now, had I the time again).
    • Understanding grows:
      • By about 15 months our baby can follow simple two-step instructions like ‘Go get your shoes and bring them here.’
      • Begins to understand the concept of ‘no.’ and that’s a very useful thing. Though before you breathe a sigh of relief… your toddler may well show you that he is understanding a ‘no’ though he may not stop doing what he is doing or come down off the table!
    • Playtime gets interactive:
      • Now we engage in more complex play, such as stacking blocks, pretending to eat with a spoon, and imitating actions.
      • Many toddlers now start showing an interest in picture books.

    15–18 months: Communication blossoms

    • Words combine: Towards 18 months or around about then your toddler may start to put two words together, such as ‘more milk’ or ‘bye-bye dada.’
    • Gestures and sounds: Now we also use gestures to communicate, such as pointing, shaking head ‘no,’ and waving ‘bye-bye.’
    • Exploration and curiosity:
      • Your toddler is now EVERYWHERE! Turn your back and he or she is gone! Your toddler now shows a strong sense of curiosity and explores their environment with enthusiasm.
    • Copying
    • Look out for actions and gestures your toddler will copy such as clapping hands or patting a cushion or banging a spoon on the table .

    Remember

    • Every child develops at his or her own pace.
    • These are just general guidelines, and some children may reach certain milestones earlier or later than others.
    • If you have any concerns about your child’s development, please consult with your speech and language therapist. We are always keen to hear from parents and happy to help promote all those lovely early skills.

    General tips to encourage communication if you feel your child needs a little more help

    • Talk, talk, talk! Engage in frequent chatting with your child.
    • Listen to your child: Allow for periods of silence when playing with your child to allow them to say something or make sounds which you can then copy and respond to.
    • Read aloud regularly. Use books with simple words and pictures.
    • Play interactive games: Hickory Dickory Dock, Row Row the boat, Old McDonalds, 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed, chasing and catching, tickling games.
    • Respond to your child’s babbling and gestures. You can copy them or if your toddler says long strings of babbling you cannot understand you could just say: ‘Oh ok!? ‘yes that’s great!’ ‘who knew!’ ‘wow you’ve got much to say!’ as if you understood.
    • Limit screen time or if your child is very passionate about watching clips then sit and watch with your child so that you can see what is the best bit, which songs they like the best and what sort of phrases they love hearing.

    This exciting period of rapid growth and development is a precious time for both you and your child.

    By providing a loving, stimulating, and responsive environment, you will naturally nurture their communication skills! Any more questions, please get in touch!

    Sonja McGeachie

    Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

    Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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