Do not fret that your child has not yet acquired these manner words. It certainly does not mean you have not done your job as a parent. It is important to realize that “not all sounds are created equally”. In other words, some sounds are easier to say than others.
The Development of Sounds
The earliest sounds to come in are generally /p, b, m, w, h, n/. We expect to see these between 1 and 3 years of age. This explains why the words for mom and pop are similar across most languages as they include these early-developing sounds, ex. mama/papa, Ima/Abba. Don’t we just love hearing our name coming from our baby’s lips?! J
The next group of sounds we may hear are /k, g, t, d, f, y/ followed by /s, l, ch, sh, v/.
The latest sounds are typically /th/ and /r/.
The most common errors we see in speech therapy are with the /s/ and /r/ sounds. Incidentally, these are also the most difficult to correct. However, treatment for these sounds may not be necessary until 4 years old while treatment for the earlier-developing sounds may begin as early as 18-24 months of age.
A child who has something to say is a child who may be very frustrated when he is not being understood. This can be frustrating for both the parents and the child and can result in withdrawal or, conversely, acting out behaviours.
If you are concerned about your child’s speech, you may wish to contact a registered Speech-Language Pathologist for an assessment to see whether your child’s errors are typical for his/her age.
Keep in mind that these norms are simply guidelines and your child may acquire sounds in a slightly different order.
