Speech-Language Pathology

Healthcare Professional Resources

Normal Speech / Language Development

The ability to communicate is important for daily living, including the development of social relationships. Children learn to communicate in stages, with articulation and language developing independently. To understand verbal communication development, it is important to understand the difference between speech (articulation) and language.

• Speech (articulation) − the physical production of sounds to form spoken words.
• Language − the message conveyed back and forth in talking. This includes the ability to understand the speech of others (receptive language) and the ability to express thoughts through words and sentences (expressive language).

Children vary in their rate of development. However, speech and language development generally occurs as follows:

For Additional Information

• Kummer, AW. Normal speech and language development. In RC Baker (Ed.), Handbook of Pediatric Care. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1995.
• Kummer, AW. Assessment of speech and language disorders in children. In RT Cotton, CM Myer III (Eds.), Practical Pediatric Otolaryngology, Philadelphia: Lippencott-Raven Publishers, 1998.
• Kummer, AW. Speech and language disorders. In R. Baker (Ed.) Pediatric Primary Care: Well-Child Care, Lippincott, Philadelphia: Williams & Wilkins, 2001.
• Kummer, AW. Communication disorders in children. In C Rudolph, A Rudolph, MK Hostetter, G Lister and NJ Siegel (Eds). Rudolph’s Pediatrics, 21st Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.