Is your child difficult to understand when they talk? Do they say "wabbit" instead of "rabbit" or "tat" instead of "cat"? You're not alone—and it may be part of typical development, or it may indicate a Speech Sound Disorder.

This article will help you understand what speech sounds are, and how they develop. We'll also explain the difference between Articulation and Phonological disorders and their causes, and what you can do to support your child's speech at home.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or caregiver, this information will help you support your child's speech and know when to seek help from a speech therapist.

What Are Speech Sounds?

Speech sounds are the sounds we use for talking. These sounds are made by coordinating our mouth, lips, tongue, and vocal cords. They are different from letters. For example, the word "sheep" has five letters but only three sounds: /ʃ/ (sh), /iː/ (ee), and /p/ (p).

Learning to speak clearly means gradually mastering these sounds as a child grows.

When Do Children Learn Different Speech Sounds?

Children don't learn all sounds at once. Some, like /m/ and /b/, are easier and develop earlier. Others, like /r/ or /th/, take more time.

Here's a general guide for when most English-speaking children develop speech sounds:

The chart above shows the typical progression of speech sound development. You can find more detailed information about communication development milestones in our Learning Library, where we explore different aspects of child communication growth.

By age 5, most children can pronounce almost all the speech sounds used in English. If your child's speech is still hard to understand by then, it may be time to check in with a speech therapist.

What About Children Who Are Bilingual?

Many children in Singapore grow up learning more than one language, such as English, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil. Being bilingual is a strength—and it does not cause speech delays.

However, bilingual children may:

• Mix language patterns (e.g., tone, stress)
• Pronounce a sound incorrectly in only one language (e.g., Chinese does not have certain English sounds like /v/ or /th/, which means Chinese-speaking children learning English might substitute sounds or take longer to master these sounds)

This is often part of typical bilingual development and not a cause of concern. However, you should seek support from a speech therapist if your child has difficulties pronouncing sounds that should be developed by their age. As bilingual speech therapists at Ray of Joy Therapy, we understand the unique challenges bilingual children face and provide assessments and therapy tailored to their needs.

I Can Understand Everything My Child Says, But Other People Can't

Parents often understand their child better than others. They might be able to guess what their child is talking about and they learn to tune into how their child says words. Still, by a certain age, your child should be understood by people outside the family.

Here's a rough guide from Husted et al., (2021) how clear your child's speech should be to other adults at different ages:

• 2 years 7 months - 3 years 10 months: 50% intelligible to unfamiliar listeners
• 4 years 1 month: 75% intelligible to unfamiliar listeners
• 6 years 11 months: 90% intelligible to unfamiliar listeners

By around 5 to 6 years old, most children's speech is clear and easy to understand for both familiar and unfamiliar listeners. If a child continues to speak in a way that sounds more like a much younger child, or says their words in an unusual or inconsistent way, it may be a sign they could benefit from support from a speech therapist. These differences may be related to one of the common types of speech sound disorders, which we'll explore in the next section.

Common Types of Speech Sound Disorders

When children have difficulty making or using speech sounds, it may fall into one of these categories:

1. Articulation Disorders

Articulation refers to the physical production of speech sounds. It is all about how we use our mouth, lips, tongue, and vocal cords to make sounds that are part of our language.

A child with articulation disorder has trouble forming specific sounds correctly. Common errors usually involve:

• Substituting sounds: "wabbit" for "rabbit"
• Omitting sounds: "ca" for "cat"
• Adding extra sounds: "buhlack" for "black"
• Distorting sounds: "slushy" or unclear /s/ or /z/ if the air is coming out of the sides of their mouth instead of the front

One specific type of articulation issue is a lisp, which is especially common in younger children.

👉 Read more: What Is a Lisp?

Articulation difficulties are typically motor-based, meaning the child knows what sound to say but struggles with moving their tongue, lips, or teeth to say it correctly. Articulation therapy often focuses on helping children learn and practise the correct movements for the specific sounds.

2. Phonological Disorders

Phonology refers to the sound system of a language and the rules for how those sounds are used. A child with a phonological disorder has trouble understanding and applying these rules, which can lead to predictable patterns of speech errors.

Examples include:

• Fronting (consistently replace all back sounds like "k" and "g" with front sounds like "t" and "d"): saying "tat" for "cat" or "doh" for "go"
• Final consonant deletion (delete the final sound in words): saying "ca" for "cat"
• Cluster reduction (simplify blends of sounds): saying "pane" instead of "plane"
• Backing (replace all front sounds like "t" and "d" with back sounds like "k" and "g"): saying "key" for "tea" or "gay" for "day"

Most of these patterns are seen in typically developing children's speech as a normal way of simplifying the more complex speech they hear from adults. These errors, however, typically resolve between the ages 4 to 6 as children develop. For example, fronting generally resolves by 3.5 years of age, while gliding (e.g., saying "yam" for "lamp") resolves by 6 years of age. If the errors persist after, the productions are no longer considered typical development and may require direct teaching from a speech therapist to remediate.

What Causes Challenges with Speech Sounds?

Most of the time, the exact cause is not always known. However, there are some factors that may play a role, including:

• Family history of speech or language difficulties
• Hearing loss or frequent ear infections
• Tongue-tie, cleft palate, or structural differences
• Oral-motor difficulties (difficulty coordinating the muscles of their tongue, lips, jaws)
• Neurological conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy, stroke)

I Am Worried About My Child's Speech Sounds, What Should I Do?

If you are noticing consistent speech errors in your child's speech or that your child's speech sounds are not as clear as other children their age, it is best to contact a speech therapist. They can conduct an assessment to determine whether your child is facing an articulation or phonological disorder, or a combination of both. Early intervention is key to helping your child develop clear and confident speech.

Take our free Communication Milestones Quiz 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.

At Ray of Joy Therapy, we offer a free 15-minutes consultation call with an experienced speech therapist. During the call, you will be able to talk through your concerns and questions regarding your child's speech development.

What Can I Do to Help My Child Improve Their Speech at Home?

• Focus on trying to understand what your child is saying, rather than how they are saying it. Minimise background noise during conversations and get face-to-face with your child so you can see and hear each other easily.

• Model words. This means saying the word correctly to your child, but not asking them to copy you or repeat it after you. You can do this if you hear them make a mistake. Try to repeat the word a few times for your child.

For example, if your child says "mummy, look! A tat!", you can say: "Yes, it's a cat! A soft, orange cat. Let's go pet the cat!"

• Listen to and play with sounds and music. This can help develop your child's awareness of sounds. You can try singing or reading nursery rhymes together. See if your child is able to finish the rhyme: "1, 2, buckle my…(shoe)."

Summary

Speech sound development is a normal part of learning to talk, but every child develops at their own pace. If your child isn't speaking clearly or is hard to understand, don't hesitate to reach out to a speech therapist who can guide you and your child on the path to better communication. With early intervention and consistent support, your child can grow in confidence and communication—and find their voice.

Feel free to share this post with other parents, educators, or anyone else who might benefit from understanding speech sound development!