When Should I Take My Child To An SLP? Red Flags For Speech & Language Development

When Should I Take My Child to an SLP? Red Flags for Speech and Language Development | District Speech & Language Therapy | Speech Therapists in Washington DC

Although each child is unique in the rate he/she develops, most children tend to follow a general pattern of speech and language acquisition.

As a parent, it is essential to familiarize yourself with these milestones as well as risk factors for when your child is falling behind.

Identifying delays early is key to ensuring your child is given the right support during the most crucial time of their development.

Contact a Speech and Language Pathologist if you see 2 or more of the following Red Flags:

  • No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter.
  • No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months.
  • No babbling by 9-12 months.
  • No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months.
  • No first words by 15 months.
  • No consistent words by 18 months.
  • No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months.
  • Slowed or stagnant speech development.
  • Problems understanding your child’s speech at 24 months of age; strangers having problems understanding your child’s speech by 36 months of age.
  • Not showing an interest in communicating.
  • No babbling by 12 months.
  • No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months.
  • Failure to respond normally, such as not responding when spoken to. This may include signs that the child does not hear well, such as not reacting to loud noises.
  • A sudden loss of speech and language skills. Loss of abilities at any age should be addressed immediately.
  • Not speaking clearly or well by age 3.
  • Excessive drooling.
  • Problems sucking, chewing, or swallowing.
  • Problems with control and coordination of lips, tongue, and jaw.
  • Stuttering that causes a child embarrassment/frustration/difficulty

If you found this helpful and are concerned about your child, please book an consultation with a speech-language pathologists in Washington.  

If you want more specifics regarding speech sound acquisition, please refer to our blog on Intelligibility and Phonology norms birth- 6 months.

District Speech and Language Therapy
1300 I St NW, #400E,
Washington, DC 20005

- https://g.page/districtspeech

District Speech and Language Therapy specializes in speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy solutions, for both children and adults, in the Washington D.C and the Arlington Virginia areas.