Resources for families
A curated collection of tools, guides, and information to help you support your child's communication development — at home and beyond.
Speech & language milestones
Every child develops at their own pace, but these general milestones can help you know what to expect — and when to seek support.
- Coos and makes soft sounds
- Reacts to voices and sounds
- Cries differently for different needs
- Babbles (ba-ba, ma-ma)
- Responds to their name
- Uses gestures like waving or pointing
- Says 1–3 words meaningfully
- Follows simple directions
- Points to familiar objects
- Uses 50+ words
- Starts combining two words
- Strangers understand about 50% of speech
- Uses 2–3 word sentences
- Asks simple questions
- Strangers understand about 75% of speech
- Tells simple stories
- Uses sentences of 4+ words
- Most speech understood by strangers
These are general guidelines. Every child develops at their own pace — when in doubt, reach out.
When to seek help
Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it's always okay to reach out. Here are some signs that an evaluation may be helpful.
Request a screeningTips for supporting communication at home
You don't need to be a speech therapist to make a big difference. These everyday strategies can help your child thrive.
Talk, talk, talk
Narrate your day as you go — describe what you're doing, what you see, and what's happening around you. This builds vocabulary naturally.
Read together every day
Reading aloud exposes children to rich vocabulary, sentence structure, and story concepts. Point to pictures and ask questions as you go.
Follow their lead
Join in on whatever your child is interested in. Comment on what they're doing and expand on their words — if they say 'ball,' you say 'big red ball!'
Reduce screen time
Children learn language best through real, back-and-forth interaction. Limit passive screen time, especially for children under 2.
Give them time to respond
After asking a question or making a comment, wait. Give your child plenty of time to process and respond before jumping in.
Expand and model
When your child says something, repeat it back correctly and add a little more. This models language without correcting or pressuring them.
Helpful organizations & websites
Trusted resources from leading speech-language pathology and child development organizations.
Still have questions?
I'm always happy to chat about your child's development. Reach out — no pressure, just a friendly conversation.
Get in Touch