As a parent, you play a vital role in your child's speech and language development. Understanding the milestones that your child should be reaching at different ages can help you determine whether they are on track or need additional support.
By age 7, children should be able to say all speech sounds clearly and use complete sentences to talk about their ideas. Additionally, they should be able to tell and retell a story in the right order and match simple spoken words to written words.
To encourage the development of these skills at home, try engaging your child in activities that involve following multi-step directions. For example, ask them to help you with a recipe by finding and measuring the ingredients. Encourage them to use complete sentences when speaking by asking open-ended questions and allowing them to express their ideas fully. Reading with your child can also help with language development, as it exposes them to new vocabulary and allows them to practice sounding out words.
If you are concerned that your child may not be meeting these milestones, please reach out! We'd love to connect. Early intervention is key in helping your child reach their full potential and succeed in communication and social interactions.