When should I consider a speech therapy evaluation for my child?

 

It’s true every child develops on their own timeline. However, delays in specific milestones such as talking may have left you wondering, “Is my child delayed?” Use these self-assessment checklists to determine if your child may benefit from a speech therapy evaluation. Once completed please contact us to set up your complimentary communication consultation.

A child may benefit from speech therapy:

  • at 18-21 months your child has less than 24 words
  • at 21-24 months your child has less than 40 words
  • at 24-30 months your child has less than 100 words
  • at 24 months your child is not using word combinations (ex: mama go)
  • at 3 years old you child is not at least 80% intelligible when speaking
 

Other risk factors to consider:

 
 
  • Was your child a quiet baby?
  • Did your child have recurring ear infections?
  • Is there a family history of speech, language, or academic difficulties?
 
 
  • Does your child make a limited number of sounds?
  • Does your child imitate sounds?
  • Does your child use gestures as part of their communication?
 
 
  • Does your child engage in limited, sequenced pretend play?
  • Does your child have a vocabulary consisting of mostly nouns with little to no verbs?
  • Does your child have difficulty communicating with peers?
 
  Parents Magazine also offers these guidelines for helping determine when to seek out a speech therapy evaluation.

Start Playing With Purpose

Learn how to purposefully and intentionally interact with your child during play and help them increase opportunities for speech and language development with our Playing with Purpose book!