My child doesn't say some speech sounds - should I worry?
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Some sounds are harder to say than others. Knowing WHEN sounds typically develop will ensure that you’re not expecting too much of your little one.
Children are developing their speech sounds from the moment they start babbling, and it’s totally normal for children to still be learning some of the trickier sounds up to ages 6 or 7. This post will help you understand the order sounds typically develop.
The EARLY 8 typically develop between the ages of 1 and 3. We’d expect a 3 year old to be using these sounds correctly consistently at the start, middle and end of words.
🐝 B as in “bee”
🐕 D as in “dog”
🐷 P as in “pig
🙂M as in “me”
👩👩👧👧 W as in “we”
👎 N as in “no”
🙋♀️ H as in “hello”
👍 Y as in “yes”
THE NEXT NINE. Children can be developing these sounds anywhere between ages 1 and 6, though we’d typically expect most children to have mastered them between age 4 and 5.
To master a sound, children must be able to say these sounds consistently at the start, middle and end of words. Note that the ‘NG’ sound isn’t found at the start of words in English but IS in Te Reo Maori. The /L/ sound isn’t often pronounced at the end of words in NZ English.
☕️T as in “tea”
🐈K as in “cat”
👩⚕️G as in “girl”
🐠F as in “fish”
🚛V as in “van”
🦒J as in “giraffe”
🍋L as in ‘”lemon”
🧀CH as in “cheese”
💍NG as in “ring”
THE LAST LOT. Children can be developing these sounds anywhere between ages 1 and 8, though typically we’d expect most children to have all of these mastered before age 7. The /R/ sound isn’t often pronounced at the end of words in NZ English.
🧦S as in “sock”
🐁R as in “rat”
🦒Z as in “zoo”
🦈SH as in “shark”
🏴☠ZH as in “treasure”
⚡TH as in “thunder”
🤷🏼♀️TH as in “moTHer”
Some children can say all the sounds that are appropriate for their age and STILL be difficult to understand. A child that is hard to understand has ‘low intelligibility’. Regardless of whether a child’s speech is ‘typically developing’, if you cannot understand much of what they are saying, seeking support to find ways to improve sound development is a good idea.
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