How do I know if my child is just a 'late talker'?

Many late talkers, about half to 70 percent, catch up on their own by school age, but it's hard to tell early which children will. If your child isn't putting two words together by age 2 or has fewer than about 50 words by 30 months, an evaluation is recommended. Our free consultation can help determine if your child would benefit from therapy.

How long does it take to see improvement?

Every child progresses at their own pace, depending on their needs, age, and how often they practice at home. We set individualized goals and track progress so you can see exactly how your child is improving.

Can speech delay be caused by screen time?

While excessive screen time can reduce opportunities for language interaction, speech delay has many potential causes. Our evaluation helps identify contributing factors and creates a plan that works for your family's lifestyle.

At what age should I worry about speech delay?

Key milestones to watch: babbling by 9-12 months, first words by 12-15 months, two-word phrases by age 2, and understandable speech by age 3. If your child is missing these milestones, an evaluation is recommended. The earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes.

What causes speech delay in toddlers?

Speech delay can have many causes including hearing issues, oral-motor difficulties, developmental delays, or simply needing more language exposure. In many cases, the cause is unknown. Our evaluation identifies contributing factors and creates a targeted treatment plan.

Does speech therapy work for 2-year-olds?

Yes, speech therapy is highly effective for toddlers. Early intervention (before age 3) has the best outcomes because young brains are especially receptive to language learning. For toddlers, we focus on parent coaching so you can support language development throughout the day.

Speech Delay

Helping children who are late to develop speech reach their communication milestones.

What Is Speech Delay?

Speech delay is a communication disorder where a child's speech development falls significantly behind typical milestones for their age.

Children with speech delay may have fewer words than expected for their age, difficulty combining words into phrases, or challenges being understood by others. About 1 in 10 children ages 3 to 6 had a voice, speech, or language disorder in the past year. Therapy for young children, especially with parents coached to help at home, improves language skills, and every child progresses at their own pace.

Sources: NIDCD, Roberts & Kaiser, AJSLP (2011)