When my daughter was in first grade, she still couldn’t say the /r/ sound. As both a parent and a speech-language pathologist, I knew that /r/ is one of the later-developing sounds, so I wasn’t concerned. Sure enough, within a year, the sound appeared naturally. By second grade, she was producing it clearly.
My own childhood story was very
different. I also struggled with the /r/ sound, but in my case, it did not
develop on its own. My mother picked me up early from school once a week to
bring me to speech therapy. This was before therapy services were commonly
available in schools. With explicit teaching and structured practice, I
eventually learned the sound.
These two experiences illustrate an
important point: Sometimes speech therapy is truly needed, and sometimes a
child is simply still developing. The challenge for parents is knowing the
difference.
As a speech-language pathologist, I
hear questions like this all the time: “My child can’t say certain sounds.
Should I be concerned?” Other parents ask, “My child is dropping the end sounds
of words. Is that normal?” Sometimes the question is: “I can’t understand what
my three-year-old is saying. Should she get speech therapy?” At the heart of
all these questions is the same uncertainty: Is this part of normal
development, or does my child need help?
Speech development follows its own
timeline, and many sound patterns improve naturally. Just as we don’t expect a
kindergarten student to excel at multiplication, we also shouldn’t expect young
children to master every speech sound at once. For many children, speech
differences are simply a normal part of development.
Speech Sounds Develop Gradually
As children learn to talk, they
don’t master every sound at once. Speech develops gradually, and along the way,
many children make predictable, developmentally typical simplifications. This
doesn’t mean they don’t know the word; it means their mouth is still learning
how to produce it clearly. For example, you may hear “gog” instead of “dog,” “wed”
instead of “red,” or “fumb” instead of “thumb.”
Another very common example is when
a child leaves out part of a word that has two consonants together, such as: “pane”
for “plane,” “cool” for “school,” or “fog” for “frog.” This type of
simplification, often referred to as cluster reduction, is extremely
common in young children. Producing two consonants together requires more
coordination than producing one. As children’s speech systems mature, most of
them naturally begin producing the full word without intervention.
Why We Don’t Treat What Children
Will Outgrow
One of the most important parts of
speech-language pathology is knowing when not to treat. If a speech
pattern is developmentally typical and expected to resolve with time, therapy
is often unnecessary – and sometimes unhelpful. Children don’t benefit from
working on sounds their brain and mouth are not ready to master. When children
begin therapy for sounds they simply aren’t ready to produce, progress can be
slow and frustrating. For
example, a five-year-old does not need speech therapy for the /r/ sound
alone. The same is true for sounds like /th/ and certain sound blends, which
are among the last to develop. In these cases, monitoring and reassurance are
often the most appropriate approach.
I’ve had
several cases where a child was making limited progress in therapy. When we
paused therapy for several months and revisited the sound later, the child was
suddenly ready and learned it quickly and easily. Sometimes a little time makes
all the difference.
Common Misconceptions
Parents frequently have concerns
based on common beliefs, such as:
·
If my child can’t say a sound, therapy should start
right away.
·
Any lisp means there’s a problem.
·
If a teacher mentions speech, it must be urgent.
Speech therapy is not about
correcting every difference. It’s about supporting children when speech
difficulties interfere with communication, learning, or confidence.
When Speech Therapy Is Helpful
There are times when speech
therapy is appropriate. Parents may want to seek an evaluation if they notice:
·
Frequently needing to ask their child to repeat
themselves
·
Difficulty understanding their child most of the time
·
Speech that is hard for unfamiliar listeners to
understand
·
A very limited variety of speech sounds
·
Frustration or withdrawal related to speech
·
Speech that clearly stands out among peers or draws
unwanted attention
·
Reduced confidence or participation because of speech
Looking at the whole picture – clarity,
consistency, progress over time, and social impact – helps determine whether
therapy is recommended. If you’re unsure whether your child’s speech is within
the range of typical development, a licensed speech-language pathologist can
help determine whether monitoring or therapy is appropriate.
A Final Thought
Speech development is not a race.
Children grow into clear, confident communicators at different paces. Understanding
what is typical – and recognizing when extra support is truly needed – can take
a lot of pressure off both parents and children. Sometimes, the most helpful
answer really is: This is normal, and it will come.
Nechama Lipsky, M.S., CCC-SLP,
is a licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist and the founder of Bright
Kite Therapy. After more than a decade with Baltimore County Public Schools,
she opened her private practice in 2025. She provides speech and language
therapy directly in local schools and daycares throughout the Baltimore area.
She can be reached at 443-683-5381, nechama@brightkitetherapy.com, or
at www.brightkitetherapy.com.
