When Should Strangers Be Able To Understand Your Child’s Speech?

Parents can usually understand most of what their child says. They are used to their voice, their most-used words, and the way that they pronounce certain speech sounds. They can also often translate their “kid language” without needing to put too much thought into it. 

But this is not always the case for others trying to understand what the child is saying. Grandparents, teachers, or other people who are engaging with the child may ask the parent to clarify what their child is saying, which can leave the parents wondering how clear their child’s speech should be. 

The answer depends on many factors, one being the child’s age. Speech clarity develops gradually, and children are not expected to pronounce every single speech sound perfectly from the beginning. At the same time, there are milestones that can help parents understand when difficulty being understood may be worth Booking an Appointment with a speech-language pathologist (SLP). 

What does “speech clarity” actually mean? 

Speech therapists often use the term intelligibility to describe how much of a child’s speech a listener can understand. It's important to note that intelligibility is not the same as perfect pronunciation. A child can still have difficulty with certain speech sounds and be understood most of the time.

Who is listening also matters, as parents and caregivers often understand a child much more easily than an unfamiliar listener. Speech can also be harder to understand when a child is excited, talking quickly, telling a complicated story, or speaking in a noisy environment. 

So, if you’re wondering whether your kid’s speech is hard to understand, consider more than just whether or not you personally can understand them.

How clear should a child’s speech be at different ages?

There is no single percentage that applies perfectly to every single child. Research can vary, but a 2021 study on typically developing children found that by 3 years old, intelligibility was around 50%, by 4 it was around 75%, and by 5 it reached about 90%. Even with these numbers, researchers found that there was a lot of variation.

This is important because older information leaned more towards children needing to be 100% intelligible by 4 years old. ASHA’s developmental milestones provide another useful reference point. They state that “By age 4 years, your child speaks so that people can understand most of what they say. Child may make mistakes on sounds that are later to develop—like l, j, r, sh, ch, s, v, z, and th” and by kindergarten age, children should speak clearly enough that most people can understand what they are saying. In other words, clear speech by age is a progression, not an overnight switch. 

When should parents pay closer attention?

If people who do not spend a lot of time with your child regularly have difficulty understanding them, especially as your child gets older, it may be worth talking with a SLP. 

For example, consider seeking professional guidance if:

• You frequently need to translate what your child says for other people. 
• Teachers, relatives, or other adults regularly struggle to understand your child. 
• Your child becomes frustrated because people don’t understand them.
• Your child avoids talking because they are worried about being misunderstood. 
• Your child’s speech seems significantly less clear than that of other children around the same age. 
• You notice that certain sound patterns or pronunciation errors are not improving over time. 

This doesn’t automatically mean that your child has a speech disorder. Children develop at different rates, and individual speech patterns can vary, but an evaluation can help to determine whether your child’s speech is within an expected range or whether additional support could help them.

Don’t wait for “perfect” speech.

Sometimes parents assume that they should wait until their child is older before addressing their speech clarity struggles, but speech therapy isn’t about making a child’s speech sound “perfect”. The goal of speech therapy is to work on the child’s ability to communicate their thoughts, needs, and ideas as clearly and confidently as possible.

An SLP can look at the specific sounds that your child is using, the patterns in their speech, how understandable they are in conversation, and how their speech compares with the developmental expectations for their age. And because every child is different, the right question isn’t necessarily, “Does my child pronounce every sound correctly?”; it's more like, “Can my child communicate effectively for their age, and is their speech becoming easier for other people to understand?’. 

If you’re concerned about your child’s speech clarity, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Schedule a free introductory call with Great Speech to talk with our team about your concerns. The great news is that our therapy is fully virtual, meaning your child can attend therapy from the comfort of home, or wherever you want. Read more about what to expect: How it works.

What about insurance? 

The cost of speech therapy can be an important part of the decision for families. Great Speech is in-network with leading insurance plans like Aetna, Cigna, Centivo, Wellcare, AllWell, Ambetter Health, Humana Military, Amerigroup & more! Visit our insurance page to find out more.