Speech, Language & Communication: Signs and Symptoms

Children and teenagers can experience difficulties with their speech, language and communication at any time during their lives. We have put together a list of key signs and symptoms at each age range to help parents and educators identify when a child may need additional support.

Signs in Infants and Toddlers

Limited Babbling:

Minimal cooing or babbling by 6 months.
Lack of varied sounds or syllable combinations.

Delayed First Words:

Not saying any words by 18 months.
Limited use of simple words like "mama" or "dada."

Poor Response to Sounds:

Does not turn towards sounds or voices by 6 months.
Limited response to their name by 12 months.

Lack of Gestures:

Does not use gestures like pointing, waving, or nodding by 12 months.
Limited use of non-verbal communication to express needs.

Signs in Preschool Children (Ages 3-5)

Speech Sound Errors:

Difficulty pronouncing sounds correctly.
Speech is difficult to understand by unfamiliar listeners.

Stammering:

Often repeats the start of the word such as ‘s-s-s-s-snake’.
Repeats whole words such as ‘I-I-I-I-I-I want a snack’.

Limited Vocabulary:

Small range of known words compared to peers.
Struggles to learn new words or names of objects.

Difficulty Following Directions:

Struggles to follow simple instructions.
Needs directions repeated or simplified.

Social Communication Differences:

Needs support to make and maintain friendships.
Shows differences in attention and listening for example may find it difficult to listen and follow instructions from an adult.

Anxiety or Avoidance:

Shows anxiety about speaking in class or social situations.

Does not speak in certain situations (situational mutism).

Signs in School-Age Children (Ages 5-12)

Persistent Speech Sound Errors:

Continued difficulty with pronunciation beyond expected age.
Frequently substitutes or mixes up sounds in words e.g ‘par cark’ for ‘car park’.

Stammering:

Often repeats the start of the word such as ‘s-s-s-s-snake.’
Repeats whole words such as ‘I-I-I-I-I-I want a snack.’

Word Finding Difficulties:

Often gets words mixed up e.g says ‘elephant’ instead of ‘hippo.’
Pauses often or uses fillers like "um" or "uh."

Needs support with Reading and Writing:

Difficulty sounding out words or understanding stories.
Teachers have noticed difficulties with spelling and writing.

Difficulties Understanding:

Struggles with understanding concepts and longer sentences.
Often misinterprets non-literal language including idioms such as ‘that’s a piece of cake.’

Anxiety or Avoidance:

Shows anxiety about speaking in class or social situations.

Does not speak in certain situations (situational mutism).

Differences in Social Communication:

Difficulty understanding social cues and body language.
Difficulty understanding emotions, or the emotions and perspectives of others.

Signs in Adolescents (Ages 12-18)

Ongoing Speech Sound Issues:

Continued mispronunciation of sounds or words.
Speech is occasionally unclear to listeners.

Stammering:

Often repeats the start of the word such as ‘s-s-s-s-snake.’
Repeats whole words such as ‘I-I-I-I-I-I want a snack.’

Word Finding Difficulties:

Often gets words mixed up e.g says ‘elephant’ instead of ‘hippo.’
Pauses often or uses fillers like "um" or "uh."

Difficulty Understanding Language:

Often misinterprets non-literal language including idioms such as ‘that’s a piece of cake.’
Difficulty using language for problem-solving or reasoning.

Academic Difficulties: