Speech therapy, connecting your child to the world with play.

It depends on three things: how significant the delay or disorder is, how engaged and motivated your child is in sessions, and how much practice happens at home between visits.

Some children work on a single sound for a few months. Children with receptive language difficulties, or an underlying condition such as autism, generally need longer. After the evaluation your therapist will set clear goals and review progress with you regularly, so you always know where things stand — and you’re never locked into a package.

There isn’t one “right” age, because speech therapy covers so many different skills. Some things — early babbling, eye contact, responding to your name, first words — are best supported in infancy and toddlerhood. Others, like a lisp, R sounds, or stuttering, are typically addressed once a child is a bit older and has the listening skills and motor control to work on them.

The short answer: if you’ve noticed something, now is the right time to ask. A free call will tell you whether to act or simply keep watching.

Pediatricians do a great job with your child’s overall health, but a well-child visit is short and milestone screening is brief — and a child who is quiet or shy in the exam room can look fine on paper. Speech and language is our whole specialty.

Signs that are easy to miss by about 9–12 months: not responding to sounds or their name, not understanding simple words, and not pointing to show you things. Later on: no first words by 12–15 months, no two-word combinations by 21–24 months, or speech that strangers can’t mostly understand by age 4.

You don’t need a referral to talk to us. If your gut says something is off, a free 15-minute call is a no-risk way to check.

Children reach language milestones at different times, and some late talkers do catch up on their own. But a speech-language pathologist can often tell which children are at higher risk of a lasting delay — and early intervention is far more effective (and often low-cost or free) than waiting. Ruling out a bigger problem early is worth a phone call.

Growing up with more than one language is a benefit for most children and does not cause speech or language delays. If your child isn’t meeting milestones, the cause is something else — so talk with your pediatrician and get an evaluation. We count words across all of your child’s languages, and we have a therapist who offers conversational Spanish for bilingual families.

There isn’t a proven direct link, but children with a history of frequent ear infections are considered at greater risk and should be monitored closely. Fluid in the ears can muffle hearing during the months when children are learning sounds and words, so if your child has had several infections, it’s worth checking in.

Development varies widely, even within one family, so comparing siblings isn’t a reliable measure. Track your child against general milestones instead, and talk with your pediatrician or a speech therapist if you have concerns.

Start by noticing how your child communicates now, then model simple comments about what’s happening around you. Ask fewer questions, take turns in conversation, and praise every attempt to communicate — gestures, pointing, eye gaze, and words all count. In therapy we coach you on strategies like these so progress happens all week, not just in session.