SPEECH / ARTICULATION:

Speech is the way sounds are made. Every child during the learning process produces misarticulations. As speech pathologists, our job is to determine if those errors are age appropriate. We do this by utilizing tests which help us determine if the sound errors your child makes are developmentally appropriate or disordered.

As parents, you can look for the following indicators:

1. Are the errors your child makes consistent? If he uses them correctly sometimes and not others then the sound may be developing.

2. Can other people understand your child? If only the parent can understand him, or if you need a sibling to translate, you may want to have them tested. 

3. Is your child displaying signs of frustration when he is not understood? If so, then testing is indicated. 

4. Does your child use gestures and pointing and few attempts and verbal communication? If so, then testing is indicated. 

5. Does your child leave off the beginnings or ending of words? If so, testing is indicated.
   
   General guidelines for speech sound development:
   
   By the age of 3 years the child should be producing the following sounds: h, w, m, f, k, b, n, g, y, d, p, ng, and t consistently and appropriately.