There are certain speech and language milestones that we expect children to reach as they are growing and developing.
It is worth seeing a speech pathologist if your child: is stuttering, is very difficult to understand, or has great difficulty understanding what is being said or communicated to them.
If your child has very restricted or limited food preferences a speech pathologist may be able to help.
Speech and language milestones
12 months
- Starting to say single words as well as babbling and copying sounds
- Understanding about 10 words
- Responds to their name
- Makes eye contact
18 months
- Follows simple instructions (e.g. get your shoes)
- Uses objects for pretend play (e.g. holds something to their ear like a phone)
- Can point to pictures in a book
- Says upto 20 single words
2 years
- Follow simple two-part instructions (e.g. pick up the orange and banana)
- Responds to simple wh questions (e.g. where, what)
- Says more than 50 single words
- Puts two words together (e.g. mum shoes)
3 years
- Sorts items into groups (e.g. food and transport)
- Says 4-5 words in a sentence
- Understands more complex two part instructions (e.g. give me the ball then hide the teddy)
- Understands concept of same and different
4 years
- Shows awareness of hearing beginning and end sounds of words
- Able to answer most questions about daily activities
- Describes recent events
- Uses words such as he/she/it and can’t/don’t
5 years
- Understand time related words e.g. before, after, now
- Follows three part instructions
- Uses well formed sentences understood by most people
- Can use past and future tense (e.g. went, will go)