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[box type=”info”] Do you have a parenting/child-related question that needs expert advice? Email your concern to editor@rivercitymom.com and we’ll find an expert to ease your mind.
[/box] Now that my older children are going back to school, I can concentrate on my preschooler. He is almost 3 years old and talks constantly. He understands everything we say to him, but we have great difficulty understanding him. He has trouble forming several sounds and leaves off the end sounds of many words. Friends have told me to wait to have him evaluated until he is 3, but I am concerned. Should I be?

It sounds like your concerns may be valid. This is a crucial point in your child’s speech and language development. It never hurts to have a Speech Language Pathologist look at your child to make sure he is on track. The earlier sound errors are targeted, the easier they are to correct, because they have not become ingrained habits. Keep in mind certain sound errors are developmentally appropriate; however, when these errors persist past age appropriateness, frustration and behavior problems can occur. It is also a good idea to have your child’s hearing tested, as this could be an underlying cause of his difficulties.

In general, a 2-3 year old child should be intelligible to familiar listeners (family and friends). At this age, vocabulary begins to explode. They have a word to name almost everything and combine 2-3 words to talk about and ask for things. At 3–4 years of age, they begin to talk about and recount activities of the day and tend to use 4 or more words per sentence. At this stage, people other than family and friends should understand most of what a child says.

I find that parental instincts are often correct when it comes to developmental issues. If there are problems, it is always best to target them early. Please keep in mind these are general milestones. Children vary in their development of speech and language skills. A child who is understood is much happier and more successful in his/her daily environment whether that’s school or home.


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