Why It Matters: Speech Milestones
Speech Milestones
GOAL: TALK! TALK! And more TALK!
Articulation is the production and clarity of how speech sounds are produced. These typically occur in a sequential process as outlined below.
Note: Each stage of development assumes that the preceding stages have been successfully achieved.
0 to 6 Months
GENERAL: The baby makes cooing sounds (e.g. ‘oo’, ‘ee’, ‘ah’), turns towards sounds and gives eye contact when they hear an adult speaking or making sounds.
By 1 month, babies:
Listen to the rhythm and melodies of speech.
Usually can pick out their mothers' voices.
Learn the rhythm and melodies of two languages when both are frequently spoken in their environment.
Use undifferentiated crying, which is crying that sounds the same and does not vary by specific need.
By 4 months, babies:
Prefer "baby talk" and voices with high pitch.
Become alert to sounds by blinking or widening eyes; may start to be awakened by noise, become startled, or turn toward a sound to look for its source.
Will quiet to their mothers' voices.
Make cooing sounds, often vowel sounds such as "ah-ah-ah" or "ooh-ooh-ooh."
Make cooing sounds back to someone who is talking to them.
6 to 12 Months
GENERAL: At 6 months the baby starts to babble and repeat sounds
(e.g. ‘mamama’)
By 6 months, babies:
Recognize their own names.
Make sounds like "goo" and blow bubbles at the same time.
Start to babble, repeat sounds, such as "ma-ma-ma" or "bah-bah-bah" to get attention or express feeling.
Vary their cries to signal specific needs.
By 9 months, babies:
Hear words as distinct sounds.
Usually recognize the meaning of some facial expressions and tone of voice, such as when a parent says "No!"
Repeat sounds that they hear.
Mimic the rhythm of the way others talk to them.
May say words like "mama" and "dada."
Wave "bye-bye" when prompted.
By 12 months, babies:
Begin to follow simple commands like "give me the toy."
Usually understand "mama" and "dada" and can identify each parent.
Correctly refer to each parent as "mama" or "dada."
Use the index finger to point to things they want and need.
Say a few single words other than "mama" or "dada."
1 to 2 Years
The child is able to say the following sounds in words:
/p/ /b/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /d/
2 to 3 Years
The child is able to say the following sounds in words:
/p/ /b/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /d/ /h/
Most children have mastered nearly all vowel sounds by age 2. Some errors are still acceptable at age 2, but by age 3, all vowels should be mastered (with exception of /r/ vowels).
3 to 4 Years
The child is able to say the following sounds in words:
/p/ /b/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /d/ /h/
/k/ /g/ /f/ /s/ /y/ /w/
Speech may be unclear to adults who don’t know the child well
4 to 5 Years
The child is able to say the following sounds in words:
/p/ /b/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /d/ /h/
/k/ /g/ /f/ /s/ /y/ /w/
/j/ /z/ /l/ /v/
Blends and Digraphs
/sh/ /ch/ /kw/ /ng/
5 to 6 Years
The child is able to say the following sounds in words:
/p/ /b/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /d/ /h/
/k/ /g/ /f/ /s/ /y/ /w/
/j/ /z/ /l/ /v/
Blends and Digraphs
/sh/ /ch/ /kw/ /bl/
Speech should be mostly clear and easy to understand, but some immaturities may still be noted (e.g. with ‘r’ and ‘th’ sounds)
6 to 7 Years
The child is able to say the following sounds in words:
/p/ /b/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /d/ /h/
/k/ /g/ /f/ /s/ /y/ /w/
/j/ /z/ /l/ /v/ /r/
Blends and Digraphs
/sh/ /ch/ /kw/ /bl/
/br/ /dr/ /fl/ /fr/ /gl/ /gr/
/kl/ /kr/ /pl/ /st/ /tr/
7 to 8 Years
The child is able to say the following sounds in words:
/p/ /b/ /m/ /n/ /t/ /d/ /h/
/k/ /g/ /f/ /s/ /y/ /w/
/j/ /z/ /l/ /v/ /r/ /z/
Blends and Digraphs
/sh/ /ch/ /kw/ /bl/
/br/ /dr/ /fl/ /fr/ /gl/ /gr/
/kl/ /kr/ /pl/ /st/ /tr/
/sl/ /sp/ /sw/ /th/
The child is able to say all of the speech sounds in words with no noticeable errors
Resources
This information is an overview from various organizations including:
Gillette Children’s: https://www.gillettechildrens.org/your-visit/patient-education/speech-sound-development-for-english-speakers
Kent Community Health: https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Childrens-SLT-speech-sound-development.pdf
Kid Sense: https://childdevelopment.com.au/resources/child-development-charts/speech-sounds-developmental-chart/
Oxford Health: https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/docs/speech-sound-development-chart.pdf
Speech Milestones: https://speechtherapy101.vistaprintdigital.com/speech-milestones
University of Michigan Health: https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/ue5081