Is my child’s speech on track? What to listen for from 1 to 5

Most parents I talk to have already looked at a milestone chart, and most of them wish they hadn’t. Charts are built from averages, and children are not averages. Some say their first words at ten months; others wait until well after their first birthday and turn out just fine.

Milestones are still useful when you know how to read them. Think of them as a rough map rather than a pass-or-fail test: they show what most children are doing around a certain age, so you can notice if your child is drifting far from the path.

Around 12 to 18 months

In the second year, understanding usually runs well ahead of talking. By about 18 months, most toddlers:

• Use a handful of words. Three or more besides “mama” and “dada” is typical, and approximations count — “ba” for ball is a word.
• Follow simple directions. “Give me the cup” works without you pointing at it.
• Communicate with gestures. Waving, pointing to show you something, and bringing you toys are all early language.

Around 2 years

Two is when vocabulary often takes off. Most two-year-olds:

• Put two words together. “More milk,” “Daddy go,” “big truck.”
• Point to pictures when you name them. Ask “Where’s the dog?” in a favorite book and watch.
• Pick up new words quickly, sometimes faster than you can keep track.

Around 3 years

By three, conversation starts to feel like conversation. Most children:

• Take turns talking. At least two back-and-forth exchanges on the same topic.
• Ask questions. Who, what, where — and soon, endlessly, why.
• Are understood by family most of the time, even if some sounds are still a work in progress.

Around 4 to 5 years

Preschoolers are storytellers. By four and five, most children:

• Use longer sentences. Four or more words strung together to describe what happened.
• Tell you about their day. Maybe out of order, but with at least a couple of real events.
• Are understood by people who don’t know them, like teachers, grandparents, and the friend they just met at the playground.

The question is never just “How many words?” It’s “Can my child share what’s in their head — and are they understood when they do?”

Signs it’s worth a call

None of these mean something is wrong. They mean a short conversation with a speech-language pathologist is a good use of fifteen minutes.

1. No words by 18 months, or no two-word combinations by age 2.
2. Lost words or skills. If your child stops using words they once had, check in promptly.
3. Hard to understand. Family often can’t understand your child after age 3, or unfamiliar listeners still struggle after age 4.
4. Frustration around talking. Your child gets upset when they aren’t understood, or avoids talking altogether.
5. A nagging feeling. Parents often notice things long before a chart does. That instinct is worth listening to.

When you’re not sure

Milestones are a starting point, not a verdict. If something on this list sounds familiar, or you’d just like a second set of ears, I offer a free 15-minute phone call. Tell me your child’s age and what you’re noticing, and I’ll tell you honestly whether an evaluation makes sense.

Home Field Speech Therapy sees families in their homes across upper Bucks and Montgomery counties, and online.