Speech Delay in Preschoolers: How to Tell if Your 3-Year-Old Needs Speech Therapy

As parents, it’s common to wonder if your 3-year-old’s language skills are developing as expected. You might ask yourself questions like: “Should my child be speaking in longer sentences by now?” or “Is it time to consider speech therapy?”  The reality is that children progress at their own pace, and speech abilities can differ greatly from one child to another. That said, there are typical communication milestones that can help you gauge whether your 3-year-old child might be experiencing a speech delay.

Speech and Language Milestones for 2-3 Years

By around age 3, many children are beginning to:

• Understand and use 250-1000 words and it becomes difficult to keep count of all the words they know

• Use 3-word combinations often (and up to 5-word combinations towards the end of this age range)

• Speak more clearly but may be less understandable to unfamiliar listeners

• Follow 2-step directions (“Get your truck and give it to me”)

• Say their name when asked

• Ask simple questions (“Where is mommy?)

• Answer simple questions ("Are you hungry? Where's your truck?)

• Can tell simple stories or describe things

• Correctly produce "p, b, t, d, k, g, m, n, ng, f, h, y, and w" in words

• Take turns in short conversations

---

Signs Your 3-year-old May Have a Speech Delay

Not every child will meet these milestones at the exact same time, but you may want to seek guidance if your child:

Understanding (Receptive Language)

• Does not consistently follow two-step directions (“Get your shoes and put them in your closet”)

• Does not seem to understand common questions (“Where is your truck?”)

Speaking (Expressive Language)

• Uses fewer than 200-300 words

• Does not combine words regularly into short sentences (“go outside”, “want cookie please”)

• Frequently leaves out important words or sounds, making sentences very hard to understand

Play & Interaction

• Rarely asks questions or names objects/people

• Does not take turns in conversation (even short exchanges)

• Limited pretend play or social interaction through words

Other Concerns

• Speech seems to be regressing (losing skills)

• Child is very quiet compared to peers

• You or caregivers feel something is not right with communication

---

When to Consider Speech Therapy

• If your child meets several of the concerns above

• If communication struggles are causing frustration for your child or family

• If your gut tells you something may be delayed-it is always better to check early

A speech and language pathologist can perform a full evaluation and early support can make a big difference! Speech therapy can give your child the support they need to grow their language skills with confidence.

---

The Bottom Line

If you’re asking yourself “Does my 3-year-old need speech therapy?” the best next step is to talk with your pediatrician. They can refer you to a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. Remember—getting help early can make a big difference, and many children make incredible progress with just a little extra support. At Radiant Moments, we are happy to evaluate your child. Fill out our contact form to get in touch!

For more information on communication milestones and potential speech delays in preschoolers, visit ASHA's website.