Frequently

4. How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?

A speech therapy evaluation is recommended if your child has difficulty with any of the following:

• Articulation

Your child may have difficulty saying a certain sound or words. For example, saying "wain" for "rain" or "fink" for "think". 

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• Phonology

Your child may have difficulty with patterns of sounds, such as leaving off the beginning or ending sounds in words. For example, saying "ca" for "cat" or "si" for "sit". 

 

• Fluency/Stuttering

Your child might be repeating parts of words, whole words, or phrases. He or she might appear to be struggling to get words out. For example, "I-I-I see a cat." or "Let's go, let's go, let's go to the store."

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• Receptive Language

Your child may have difficulty understanding language. For example, following directions, answering questions appropriately, or understanding what certain words mean might be difficult for them.

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• Expressive Language

Your child might have difficulty using language. He or she might not be saying many words, could be having difficulty with putting words together in the right form or order (grammar), or knowing the appropriate names for things (vocabulary).