“Is My Child’s Speech Delay Just a Phase?” - What Parents Need to Know

Children develop speech and language skills at different speeds, but there are key milestones to watch for.

• By 18 months, most children use 10–20 words.

• By 2 years, they should be combining two words (“more juice,” “mummy go”).

• By 3 years, speech should be understandable to familiar adults most of the time.

If your child isn’t meeting these milestones, it doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong—but early assessment can help identify whether extra support is needed (McLaughlin, 2011).

Why Early Support Matters

Research shows early intervention can significantly improve long-term communication, literacy, and social skills (Law et al., 2017). Speech pathologists can assess your child’s expressive and receptive language, identify any underlying causes, and design fun, play-based activities to boost communication.

Helpful Tips for Parents

• Talk throughout the day: Describe what you’re doing (“Let’s wash the blue cup”).

• Read together daily: Books build vocabulary and model sentence structure.

• Give choices: “Do you want apple or banana?” encourages expressive speech.

How a Speech Pathologist Can Help

A speech pathologist can create a plan tailored to your child’s needs—sometimes even visiting their school or offering Saturday sessions for convenience. They can show you practical ways to support speech development at home and track progress over time.