My Child Is Difficult to Understand. Should I Be Concerned?

Speech develops gradually, and we expect children to become easier to understand over time.

Children don’t learn every speech sound at once, and some sounds develop later than others.

Speech & Language Therapists use the term speech intelligibility, meaning how much of a child’s speech other people can understand.

Parents and close family members often understand their own child much better than unfamiliar people, simply because they’re used to the way they talk.

Speech intelligibility develops gradually, and there is considerable variation between children. In general, we expect a child’s speech to become easier to understand as they get older.

Rather than asking, “Can I understand my child?” a more helpful question is, “Is my child becoming easier for other people to understand over time?”

Being understood is an important part of everyday communication. It helps children join conversations, make friends, ask for help, and join in with confidence.

If your child’s speech doesn’t seem to be becoming clearer over time, or if they’re often frustrated because people don’t understand them, it may be worth seeking advice.