One the frequently asked questions that I receive is . . . “how clear should my child’s speech be?”
The term “intelligibility” refers to a child’s speech clarity. A speech language pathologist offers services to assist with a child’s articulation affecting intelligibility.
Below is a quick, rough guide to show how clear your child’s speech should be.
By 18 months a child’s speech is normally 25% intelligible to the parents.
By 24 months a child’s speech is normally 50-75% intelligible to the parents.
By 36 months a child’s speech is normally 75-100% intelligible to parents.
If you look at this chart and are concerned for your child’s speech development, contact a speech language pathologist for an evaluation.
A one-year old child should be understood by 25% of strangers.
A two-year old child should be understood by 50% of strangers.
A three-year old child should be understood by 75% of strangers.
A four year old child should be understood by 100% of strangers.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s intelligibility, feel free to reach out.
Wildly,
Andrea
