When to Worry and When to Wait: Signs Your Child May Benefit from a Speech Evaluation

If you are reading this at the end of a long day, wondering whether your child's speech is something to look into, you are in good company. It is one of the most common questions parents bring to a speech-language pathologist, and it is a fair one to ask.

There is no single answer that fits every child. But there are some useful ways to sort through it.

Milestones are ranges, not deadlines

Children learn to talk on their own timelines. Two kids the same age can look very different and both be doing fine. A child who says her first word at ten months and a child who says his at fourteen months are both within the typical range.

So a single missed milestone, on its own, is usually not cause for alarm.

What tends to matter more is the overall pattern.

Signs that are worth a closer look

Consider reaching out if you notice any of the following:

• Your baby is not babbling by around nine months, or does not respond to their name.
• Your child is not using single words by around 15 to 18 months.
• Your two-year-old is not putting two words together, like "more juice" or "daddy go."
• Your child seems to understand much less than other kids their age.
• Your child stopped using words or skills they used to have. Losing skills is always worth a prompt conversation with your pediatrician.
• Your child is frequently frustrated because people cannot understand them.
• Strangers cannot understand most of what your three-year-old says.
• Your child rarely makes eye contact, points, waves, or shares things with you.

None of these mean something is wrong. They mean it is reasonable to ask.

The case against waiting it out

"He'll grow out of it" is sometimes true. Plenty of late talkers catch up on their own with no help at all.

The trouble is that there is no reliable way to know in advance which children will catch up and which ones will not. Waiting a year to find out costs a year.

An evaluation does not commit you to anything. It is information. Sometimes the answer is that your child is developing normally and you can stop worrying, which is a genuinely valuable thing to hear. Sometimes the answer is that a little support now would help. Either way, you know more than you did.

Trust what you are noticing

Parents are usually the first to sense that something is different, and they are usually right that it is worth checking. You know your child better than any checklist does.

If your gut is telling you to ask someone, ask someone.

What to do next

Start by mentioning it at your child's next pediatric visit, or call sooner if you would rather not wait. Your pediatrician can rule out things like hearing concerns, which are worth checking early because they are common and treatable.

You can also reach out here directly. Requests are reviewed personally by Nicole Cestro, M.S., CCC-SLP, TSSLD, and she will follow up with you to talk through what you are seeing. There is no obligation and no pressure. Sometimes a short conversation is all a family needs.