Child Speech Development: Is It Normal If My Child Can’t Say Certain Sounds?

Is This Normal in Child Speech Development?

Is your child having trouble saying certain sounds? It’s super cute but you’re not sure if there’s something you should do about it??

This is one of the most common questions I get asked by my friends with young children!

“My child can’t say the ‘k’ sound”.

“My child says ‘bish’ instead of fish – is that normal?”

“I can understand my baby but others can’t…”

Understanding Speech Sounds in Child Speech Development

When it comes to speech sounds, they are the ‘icing on the cake’ (if the cake was communication development!) or the tip of the pyramid! They are the final skill to develop, and therefore it is incredibly normal for your young baby/toddler to be hard to understand and to have trouble saying particular sounds.

See the communication pyramid below to see how communication skills develop….

Age Expectations in Child Speech Development

There are, however, certain ages in which sounds are expected to develop by.

See the table below for a guide for when your child should be saying particular sounds by.

If it is within the expected age range, then you don’t need to be concerned and you can expect the sound to develop as your child’s speech sound system matures.
If there are any sounds you feel your child can’t say, have a look at this table to help you see whether it is appropriate for them to have difficulty saying it at this age. 

Parents in Perth can also access our speech therapy services at Walky Talky Hub if they need extra guidance on their child’s communication milestones.

How Parents Can Support Child Speech Development at Home

• When your child says a sound incorrectly, repeat the word back to them, emphasising the correct production of the sound (e.g. child: ‘tar!’ adult: ‘yes, a car, you’ve got a car!!’).
• Don’t put pressure on your child to try to say the sound correctly, especially if you have checked the table above and have seen they are not expected to have developed that sound. It is likely that they won’t be able to say the sound, and they’ll become frustrated by having to try.
• If your child should have developed the sound by now, you can try giving them a choice of the two productions, to see if they can hear the difference, and have a go at saying it correctly (e.g. ‘is it a tar or car?’).

If you’re unsure, our speech therapy services at the Walky Talky Hub Perth are here to support you with practical strategies tailored to your child’s needs.

When Speech Development Needs Help From a Speech Pathologist….

• If you have checked the table above and think your child should have a certain sound by now but is still having difficulty.
• If your child is very difficult to understand and they are becoming frustrated by this
• If your child never babbled and has a limited range of sounds

In these cases, it’s best to book an appointment with our Perth-based speech therapy services at Walky Talky Hub, where our speech pathologists can support your child’s speech, communication and overall development.