When to Talk to a Professional About Your Child’s Speech

By Julia Taylor, B.App.Sc. (Sp.Path.), M.Hlth.Sc., CPSP 5 min read

Most children develop speech on their own timeline, and a huge range is completely typical. But if something is niggling at you, you deserve clear, calm information — not 3am search spirals. This is general educational guidance only, not an assessment of your child; it can't replace advice from a professional who has actually met your little one.

A calm rule of thumb

Trust the niggle. Parents who wonder whether they should get their child's speech checked are usually asking because they've noticed something real. The good news: early advice is never wasted. If everything is on track, you get reassurance. If support would help, you've started at the best possible time — early support gets better results than waiting.

'Wait and see' sounds kind, but the evidence favors 'check and know'.

Signs worth acting on

Consider booking a check with a speech-language professional if you notice any of these:

By 12 months: not babbling, pointing, or using gestures like waving.
By 18 months: fewer than around 10–20 words, or not seeming to understand simple everyday instructions.
By 2 years: fewer than around 50 words, or not yet combining two words (‘more milk’, ‘daddy go’).
By 3 years: speech that people outside the family mostly can’t understand, or very few little sentences.
At any age: your child seems frustrated trying to communicate, has lost words they used to say, or you’re worried about their hearing.

How to find the right professional

Look for a certified speech-language pathologist (called a speech-language pathologist in the US and Canada, speech pathologist in Australia, or speech and language therapist in the UK). Good starting points: in the US, the ASHA ProFind directory; in Australia, Speech Pathology Australia's 'Find a Speech Pathologist'; in the UK, the RCSLT; in Canada, SAC-OAC. Your family doctor, pediatrician or child health nurse can also refer you locally.

A hearing check is a smart first step too — even mild hearing issues (like glue ear) can quietly affect speech.

What this site can and cannot do

Teach & Speech gives you general, evidence-informed ways to build language into play — wonderful for every child, and never a substitute for individual assessment or therapy. If your gut says check, please check. You'll never regret information.

The takeaway

A huge range of speech development is typical — but if you’re wondering, wonder out loud to a professional. Early answers beat late worries, every single time.

Sources & further reading

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Late language emergence (Practice Portal). https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/late-language-emergence/
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Communication milestones: Birth to 5. https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones/
Speech Pathology Australia. (n.d.). Communication milestones. https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Archive/Backups/Public/Comm-swallow/Speech-development/Communication-milestones.aspx
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026a). Milestones by 1 year. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-1yr.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026b). Milestones by 18 months. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-18mo.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026c). Milestones by 2 years. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2yr.html
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2022). Speech and language developmental milestones. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/speech-and-language

A friendly note (and the fine print)

This article is general educational information only. It is not speech therapy, therapeutic advice, an assessment, a diagnosis, or a substitute for individualized professional care, and reading it does not create a therapist–client relationship. Every child is different — if you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language, hearing or development, please consult your own certified speech-language pathologist, pediatrician or family health professional, who can advise you about your individual child. See when to talk to a professional for how to find one.

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