Children’s speech sound development starts from very early on. Babies learn and practice speech sounds before saying their first words through cooing (e.g., ooh, aah), vocal play (e.g., squeals) and babbling (e.g., ba-ba, ba-da-go). Children continue learning to clearly and correctly produce speech sounds in words throughout the toddler and preschool years, and into early primary school for some trickier sounds.
Speech sound developmental milestones
Sounds most children can say:
- by age 3: p, b, m, d, n, h, t, k, g (e.g., go), w, ng (e.g., wing), f, y.
- by age 4: l, j (e.g., jet), ch, s, v, sh, z
- by age 5: r, zh (e.g., treasure), th (voiced e.g., there)
- by age 6: th (voiceless e.g., think).
Difficulties children may have when their speech is developing
As young children learn to talk, they simplify adult speech by using easier sounds or sound combinations, for example they may say poon for spoon or wake for rake. Think of these as “shortcuts” kids use when a sound or word is too tricky to say. It’s perfectly normal for children to go through a phase of making these speech errors. In most cases, they grow out of them naturally. But if the patterns persist for longer than expected, a speech pathologist can offer helpful guidance and support to help with your child’s speech sound development.
Common error patterns
Below are some common error patterns a child might use while their speech is developing:
- Final Consonant Deletion:
- Leaving off the last sound of a word.
- Example: "dog" → "do_".
- Most children no longer make this error by age 3.
- Stopping:
- Replacing a long sound like "s" or "f" with a short sound like "t" or "p".
- Example: "sip" → "tip".
- Most children no longer make this error by age 3 ½.
- Weak Syllable Deletion:
- Leaving out an entire syllable in a word.
- Example: "banana" → "nana".
- Most children no longer make this error by age 4.
- Fronting:
- Replacing a sound made in the back of the mouth with one made in the front of the mouth.
- Example: "car" → "tar".
- Most children no longer make this error by age 4.
- Cluster Reduction:
- Dropping one sound from a consonant cluster (like "st", "bl", “str” etc.).
- Example: "stop" → "top", “blue” → “bue” and “strawberry” → “tawberry”.
- Most children no longer make this error by age 4 for 2 element clusters (e.g., “bl” in “blue”) and 5 years for 3 element clusters (e.g., “spl” in “splash”).
- Gliding:
- Replacing "r" or "l" with "w" or "y".
- Example: "rabbit" → "wabbit".
- Most children no longer make this error by age 5.
- Fricative simplification:
- Replacing /th/ sound by the easier /f/ sound.
- Example: “thing” → “fing”.
- Most children no longer make this error by age 6.
Common speech articulation errors
Children may also have difficulty physically producing a specific speech sound correctly – these difficulties are called articulation errors. It’s not about the pattern (like the above error patterns) but rather how a sound is made with the mouth, tongue, and lips. The most common articulation errors are lisps.
The most common types of lisps are:
- Interdental Lisp
- The tongue sticks out between the teeth when saying “s” or “z”.
- The “s” sounds like a “th” instead, for example: “sun” sound like “thun”.
- Lateral Lisp
- When saying the “s”, “z”, “ch”, “j”, “sh” or “zh”, the air comes out the sides of the tongue, creating a slushy or wet sound.
- Dentalized Lisp
- The tongue presses against the teeth too much when saying “s” or “z”.
- It still sounds like “s” or “z”, but a bit muffled or unclear.
How parents can support speech sound development at home
1. Be a Speech Role Model
- Speak clearly and slowly.
- Emphasise target sounds in words gently.
- “Look at the ssssun!”.
2. Repeat and Expand
- If your child says a word incorrectly, repeat it back the right way without making it a big deal.
- Child: “Tat!”
- You: “Yes, that’s a cat, a fluffy cat!”
3. Read Books Together or practice Nursery Rhymes
- Choose books with rhyme and repetition.
- Point to pictures and name them slowly and clearly.
- Let your child try to say the words too.
4. Play Sound Games
- Try games like:
- “I Spy” with sounds: “I spy something that starts with /b/!”
- Sorting games: Put pictures or toys in piles sorted by beginning sound.
5. Use a mirror or camera
- Let your child watch their mouth while they talk.
- You can model the correct tongue or lip position together.
6. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Accuracy
- Praise your child for trying, even if it’s not perfect yet.
- “I love how you’re working on that ‘r’ sound!”.
7. Keep It Fun and Low Pressure
- Don’t over-correct or ask them to repeat words too often.
- Make it part of play.
When to seek speech pathology support for speech sound development
- If by age 2 your child is not using many sounds or words.
- If your child is 3 or older, and it's hard for adults to understand most of what the child is saying.
- Your child doesn’t pronounce words like you’d expect for their age.
- Your child is frustrated or gets upset that people can’t understand what they are saying.
- Your child’s confidence is affected by not being able to be understood by family and friends.
- You have any concerns about your child’s speech sound development or communication.
How Inner West Paediatrics Can Help
At Inner West Paediatrics, our experienced speech pathologists work closely with families to assess and support your child’s speech sound development. Whether your child is showing early signs of speech difficulties or needs support for specific sound errors or lisps, we’re here to help.
We provide:
• Comprehensive speech assessments
• Individualised therapy plans
• Fun, play-based sessions
• Support for parents and carers
• Collaborative, holistic care with other professionals
Our goal is to help your child feel confident and understood when communicating. If you’re unsure whether your child needs support or just want guidance, we’d love to chat.
📞 Reach out to the team at Inner West Paediatrics to book a consultation or learn more on (02) 9560 8905 or info@innerwestpaediatrics.com.au (or Contact Us through our website)
