At What Age Is Speech Fully Developed?

As a speech and orofacial myofunctional therapist working with patients ages 5+, I often get the question: “At what age is speech fully developed?” This question often comes from curious or concerned parents who are unsure if their child is on the right track with their speech development.

Although this question is quite common, the answer is a bit more complex. In this post, we’re going to discuss some of the development processes of speech development and factors that can influence it.

The Basics of Speech Development

When a child is developing their speech, it is important to mention that it is what I would call a progressive journey. This journey begin in early infancy and continues into early childhood. There is a specific amount of balance and coordination that must be learned by the mouth, face, respiratory system, as well as cognitive functions that come into play.

While speech development and the duration of this development can vary from child to child, there are general milestones that we can go by to help determine if a child is on the right track.

Infancy to Toddlerhood: The Foundation

As mentioned before, speech development starts from infancy. From birth two about two years old, there are critical changes that occur within kids that are foundational for their speech development. During their first few months of life, infants can only communicate through crying and cooing, helping to develop their vocal cords and breathing muscles.

By six months of age, babies usually begin to babble. Babbling is probably familiar to most with the baby making sounds such as “ba-ba” or “da-da.”

By the time a child is one, they will typically start to say their first words. These are typically very simple words such as “mama” and “dada” based on their environment. By eighteen months, children have expanded their vocabulary to around 50 words and start combining two words together like “milk please” or “big truck.”

Preschool Years: Rapid Expansion

Between ages two and five, kid’s speech and language skills accelerate significantly. By the age of three, children can usually speak a full sentence and have expanded their vocabulary to around 1,000 words. They begin to grasp grammar rules, like plurals and past tense. Children are also able to ask questions and follow simple instructions.

By age four, most children can tell stories, engage in conversations, and understand more difficult instructions.. Their speech is about 90-100% understandable to unfamiliar listeners by age five.

Early School Years: Refining Skills

From ages five to seven, children continue to improve their speech and language skills. They learn to articulate more complex sounds, such as "r," "s," "l," and "th." Their vocabulary further expands, and they are able to formulate more difficulty sentences.

By age seven, most children now have the speech sounds necessary for clear communication with both familiar and unfamiliar individuals. However, it's important to mention that some kids may still struggle with minor speech articulation issues, but these issues usually resolve by the age of eight. This is also a time where children are able to understand jokes, making conversation even more enjoyable for them and those surrounding them.

Full Speech Development: The Age of Mastery

While children master various speech milestones by the age of seven or eight, the process of fully mastering speech continues into late childhood and early adolescence. By the age of 12, most children have developed the speech and language skills they will use throughout their entire lives.

During their pre-teens, children further refine their communication skills, learning to use language more effectively in various social contexts. They learn to adapt their speech based on the social context factors, helping them to navigate effective communication in adulthood.

Factors Influencing Speech Development

It's important to know that speech development can be influenced by many different factors, including genetics, the child’s environment, and simple individual differences. Some children may experience delays due to hearing impairments, developmental disorders, or limited exposure to language-rich environments.

As a speech and myofunctional therapist, I work with children 5+ who have speech and language delays in my practice. The earlier these children can be scene by a knowledgable professional, the more positive the outcomes long term.

Adult Speech Therapy: Continued Growth

While the focus of speech development is often on children, adults can also benefit from speech therapy. Some adults seek therapy to address long-standing speech issues that were not resolved in childhood, such as stuttering or articulation challenges. Others may need help with speech challenges due to neurological conditions, injuries, or surgeries.

Traditional speech there is what most individuals think of when working on speech and language skills. There is another specialty, called orofacial myofunctional therapy, that can also assist with improving speech function, clarity, and communication skills by addressing the muscles of the face, mouth, cheeks, tongue, etc.

Learn more about us here at MarvelMyo and our myofunctional therapy services in the blog post here.

The Role of Parents and Caregivers

Parents and caregivers of children play a critical role in supporting their child’s speech development. Communicating with your child regularly, reading to them, and having conversations with them are all necessary to help a child’s speech develop adequately. Ensure that you are encouraging the child to express themselves regularly, demonstrate active listening, and model correct speech patterns for them

If you or another parent has noted any concerns regard a child’s speech development, I highly encourage you to seek advice from a speech therapist. As mentioned beforehand, the earlier someone seeks the better for long term positive outcomes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the foundation for speech development is typically set by the age of seven or eight, progression toward further speech development continues into the pre-teen years. It’s important to remember that every child is unique, and their speech will develop in a variety of ways over time.

Whether you are a concerned parent of a child or an adult looking to improve your speech and language skills, consider reaching out to a speech therapist like us here at MarvelMyo & Speech. We can provide the guidance and support you need to make positive changes.

If you’re ready to get started with us, book your first appointment at the link here. Or follow us on Instagram @marvelmyospeech to stay up to date with all of our latest content and free info!