Straight answers about how kids learn to talk
Written for parents first, with the research cited so you can check it. Every guide links to the free tools that go with it.
Milestones and when to worry
What most children do at each age, and the signs that mean it is worth asking.
Speech and language milestones by age: birth to 5
Age-by-age speech and language milestones from birth to 5, based on the ASHA 2023 milestones endorsed by SAC and Toronto Preschool Speech and Language benchmarks.
When to see a speech-language pathologist: signs by age
Signs by age that a child should be assessed by a speech-language pathologist, why waiting to see rarely helps, and how Ontario families can self-refer for free.
Speech sounds
Lisps, the R sound, sound patterns and how speech clarity develops.
Speech sound development chart: when children learn each English sound
All 24 English consonants by age from Crowe and McLeod (2020), what the 50, 75 and 90 percent criteria mean, vowels, intelligibility and when to seek help.
Childhood apraxia of speech: signs, diagnosis and treatment
What childhood apraxia of speech is, the three core features SLPs listen for, how it differs from phonological delay and dysarthria, and the Ontario pathway.
Lisp in children: types, when it is normal and when to seek help
Frontal, lateral and dentalized lisps in children: which are a normal part of development and until what age, common causes, and what therapy involves.
Phonological processes explained: patterns in children's speech and when they stop
Plain-language guide to phonological processes such as fronting, stopping and cluster reduction: examples, when each fades, and how minimal pairs therapy works.
Why the R sound is hard for children and when to get help
Why R is one of the last sounds children learn, the typical age (90 percent by about 5 and a half), when to seek help, what therapy involves and home practice tips.
Language and late talkers
Understanding, first words, sentences and bilingual homes.
Bilingual children and speech delay: myths, facts and when to worry
Bilingualism does not cause speech delay. Why mixing languages is normal, how to count words across languages, when to worry and how assessment works in Ontario.
How many words should my toddler say? Word counts by age
Typical word counts at 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months, what counts as a word, how to count your toddler's vocabulary, and when a low count is worth an assessment.
Late talker: what it means and what parents can do
What a late talker is, which signs point to a lasting delay, what research says about outcomes, and the everyday strategies parents can use to help a toddler talk.
Stuttering
Typical bumpy speech in preschoolers versus stuttering that deserves a closer look.
Getting help in Ontario
Free public programs, costs, insurance and how to check a clinician is registered.
How much does speech therapy cost in Ontario?
Private speech therapy in Ontario typically costs $110 to $180 an hour and OHIP does not cover it. What sets the price, insurance, tax credits and free options.
How to get speech therapy for your child in Ontario
Free speech therapy for preschoolers, school services, treatment centres, hospital clinics and private care in Ontario. Here is every route and how to start.
How to check if a speech-language pathologist is registered in Ontario
Speech-language pathologist is a protected title in Ontario. How to verify someone on the CASLPO Public Register in two minutes, and what to do if they are not.
Questions to ask before starting speech therapy for your child
Parent checklist for choosing a speech-language pathologist in Ontario: registration, approach, parent involvement, fees, privacy and what good answers sound like.
Virtual speech therapy for kids: does it work, and how to set it up
Research shows online speech therapy gives comparable results to in-person care for many pediatric goals. Which kids and goals suit it, setup tips and limits.
Helping at home
Everyday strategies and activities that build communication.
How to help your child talk: everyday strategies that work
Evidence-based ways parents can build language in daily routines: observe, wait and listen, labelling, expansions, recasts, parallel talk, songs and fewer screens.
Reading books to build your child's language: dialogic reading and more
Shared book reading is one of the strongest ways to grow a child's language. Dialogic reading prompts, choosing books by age, repeated reading and bilingual tips.
Speech therapy activities at home: practical ideas by goal
Simple speech and language activities for home, grouped by goal (sounds, vocabulary, directions, sentences, stories), using everyday items, books and routines.
For students and clinicians
Reference material for people studying or practising speech-language pathology.
How to become a speech-language pathologist in Ontario
The pathway to becoming a speech-language pathologist in Ontario: prerequisites, accredited master's programs, the CETP exam, CASLPO registration and mentorship.
MLU and Brown's stages: counting rules, norms and limitations
How to count morphemes with Brown's 1973 rules, read Brown's five stages, compare a child's MLU with Miller and Chapman's norms, and know the measure's limits.
Speech-language pathology glossary: 58 terms explained in plain language
Plain-language definitions of 58 speech and language terms parents and students meet in Ontario, from articulation and MLU to CASLPO, CETP and the PSL program.
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