Communication is at the heart of your child's learning, play, and relationships. Whether they're chatting with you, making new friends, or expressing their needs, how children develop speech and language skills is crucial to their confidence and success.

But as a parent, it can be tricky to know when something is "normal" or when it might be time for a little extra support. If you're feeling unsure, don't worry—you're not alone. This guide will help you recognize common signs that your child might benefit from speech therapy and show you some easy ways to support their development at home.

First, what's the difference between speech and language?

It helps to know the difference between speech and language, as both are key to how your child communicates.

Speech is how we say sounds and words, and it includes:

• Articulation (how we make speech sounds)
• Voice (how we use our vocal cords and breath to create sounds)
• Fluency (the rhythm and flow of speech)

While it's normal for young children to mispronounce some sounds (for example, "wabbit" for "rabbit"), most children will have these speech issues resolved by the time they turn 5 or 6.

Language is how we use words to share ideas, understand others, and communicate:

• Receptive language (understanding language)
• Expressive language (using words to express thoughts and needs)
• Social language (interacting appropriately with others)
• Literacy (reading and writing)

Some children may pronounce words well but have trouble forming sentences, while others may be difficult to understand even though they know lots of words.

How to know if your child will benefit from speech and language therapy

If your child is having trouble with speech or language skills, it's important to take action early. Here are some signs that your child might benefit from speech and language therapy:

1. Your child has trouble understanding what's said to them.

By age 3, most kids can follow simple 2-steps directions like, "Take your bag and put your shoes on" or "Can you get the ball and put it in the box?" If your child often looks confused or gives an answer that doesn't quite fit the question, they might be having trouble with receptive language—how they understand what others are saying.

How you can help at home:

• Use clear, simple language during everyday routines (e.g., "Time to wash your hands!" instead of "Let's get cleaned up").
• Give your child time to process instructions before repeating them.
• Play games that require following directions like "Simon Says".
• Read books together and talk about what's happening in the story.

2. Your child has a smaller vocabulary compared to peers.

At 18 months, most children can say a few words like "mama" or "ball." By age 2, they should have about 50-300 words and start combining them into simple phrases. If your child mainly uses single words while others are forming short sentences, they might need support to expand their vocabulary.

How you can help at home:

• Respond to your child's attempts to communicate, even if just sounds or gestures
• Expand on what your child says (If they say "car," you could say "Yes, that's a big, red car!")
• Give your child choices to encourage communication ("Do you want apple or banana?")
• Narrate your day and describe what your child is doing to build vocabulary

3. Your child's speech is difficult to understand

By age 3, familiar adults should be able to understand most of what your child says. By age 4, even strangers should be able to understand them. If your child's speech is still hard to understand, they may need help with speech sound development.

How you can help at home:

• Instead of correcting errors directly, repeat their words back correctly. For example, if they say "wabbit," you can say, "Yes, a rabbit!"
• Play sound games (like "I spy something that starts with /b/")
• Read books with rhyming words and emphasize the sounds

4. Your Child Stutters or Gets Stuck on Words

Occasional word repetitions are common as children develop language, but if your child consistently repeats words, stretches sounds, or has trouble starting sentences (e.g., "I... I... I want that"), it could be a sign of childhood stuttering.

How you can help at home:

• Give your child plenty of time to express themselves without interrupting
• Model a slower, more relaxed speaking rate yourself
• Reduce questions that put pressure on your child to speak
• Create a relaxed speaking environment at home

5. Your Child Finds Building Friendships and Socialising Tricky

Communication is not just about talking—it's also about understanding social rules, taking turns in conversations, and reading body language. If your child struggles with these social communication skills, it may be helpful to get support.

How you can help at home:

• Arrange playdates with other children.
• Practice turn-taking in games and conversations.
• Talk about emotions and facial expressions while reading books to help your child recognize feelings in themselves and others.
• Role-play different social situations to practice greetings, sharing, and conversation.

6. Your child shows early signs of struggling with reading, writing or spelling

Early literacy skills—like letter recognition, rhyming, and sound awareness—are crucial for future reading success. If your 4- to 5-year-old seems uninterested in books or has trouble recognizing letters, early support can build a strong foundation for reading and writing.

How you can help at home:

• Read to your child daily and make it fun!
• Point to words while reading to build print awareness
• Play rhyming games and sing songs with rhymes
• Talk about letter sounds during everyday moments (e.g., "Look! B is for bus!")

Early Support Makes a Difference

Recognizing signs early and seeking support can help your child develop the speech and language skills they need to thrive in school, at home, and with friends. With the right therapy, children can overcome these challenges and develop confidence in their speech and social interactions.

Your Next Steps

Still unsure? Use our free Communication Milestones Quiz on our website to help you understand typical milestones and track your child's progress. It's a great way to monitor development and spot any areas where your child might benefit from additional support.

If you're ready to take the next step or have questions about your child's speech and language development, contact us on WhatsApp or call us at 8093 4773 to book a session with our experienced team of Speech and Language Therapists.

Support Speech and Language Development at Home

A big reason why we started Ray of Joy Therapy was to make sure you could have access to quality speech and language resources, right from the start. To further your knowledge on how to support your child's language development at home before, during, or after speech therapy, check out our Instagram page.