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Understanding Your Child's Development

Evidence-based articles written by SLPs to help you understand speech, language, and feeding milestones. Print or save any article.

22 articles|Evidence-based

Did you know?

Humans are the only species that points with the index finger to share attention. Great apes can learn to point to request items, but they do not point just to say "look at that!" — declarative pointing is uniquely human.

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9 min

Speech Development

The Secret Language of Babbling

Why those adorable "babababas" are actually your baby's first steps toward real words

babblinginfant speechcanonical babbling

Screen Time & Speech: What the Research Actually Says

Moving past the panic to understand what screens really do (and don't do) to your child's language development

screen timedigital medialanguage development

Bilingual Kids Talk Later — And That's Perfectly Normal

Debunking the biggest myth in multilingual parenting with real research and real reassurance

bilingualismmultilinguallanguage development

Why Your Toddler's Tantrums Might Be a Communication Problem

The surprising link between language development and meltdowns — and what you can do about it

tantrumsbehaviorcommunication

The 30 Million Word Gap: Why Talking to Your Baby Matters More Than You Think

From a landmark study to brain scans — the science behind how your conversations shape your child's language and brain development

word-gaplanguage-inputbaby-talk

Pacifiers, Thumb-Sucking & Speech: Separating Fact from Fiction

What the research actually says about non-nutritive sucking habits, dental development, and your child's speech sounds

pacifiersthumb-suckingoral-habits

Your Child's First 50 Words: What They'll Say (and What They Won't)

The science behind those magical early words, why 'no' shows up before 'yes,' and when word approximations absolutely count.

first wordsvocabularyword explosion

How Ear Infections Can Silently Affect Your Child's Speech

What happens when your toddler hears the world through a wall of fluid, and what you can do about it.

ear infectionsotitis mediahearing

The Magic of Reading Aloud: Why It's the #1 Thing You Can Do for Language

You don't even have to read the words. Here's why shared book reading is the single most powerful language tool in your home.

reading aloudshared readingdialogic reading

What SLPs Wish Every Parent Knew: 10 Insider Insights

The things speech-language pathologists say behind closed doors — shared with you, because you deserve to hear them.

SLP adviceparent tipsearly intervention

Picky Eating or Something More? When Feeding Difficulties Need Attention

Every toddler refuses broccoli sometimes — but here is how to tell the difference between normal pickiness and a feeding concern that deserves professional help.

feedingpicky eatingpediatric feeding disorder

Play Is Your Secret Weapon: How Play Builds Language

That pile of blocks on the floor is not a mess — it is a language laboratory. Here is the science behind why play is the most powerful tool you have.

playlanguage developmentpretend play

How COVID Changed What We Know About Children's Language

The pandemic became an unintentional experiment in child development — and what the data reveals is both sobering and surprisingly hopeful

COVID-19pandemiclanguage development

AAC Won't Stop Your Child from Talking — The Research Is Clear

The biggest fear parents have about communication devices is the exact opposite of what the evidence shows

AACaugmentative communicationspeech devices

Tongue-Tie: Cutting Through the Hype

Ankyloglossia diagnoses have exploded. Here's what the evidence actually says about when — and whether — to intervene.

tongue-tieankyloglossiafrenotomy

Telehealth Speech Therapy: The Surprising Research

COVID forced a massive experiment in virtual speech therapy — and the results may change how you think about your child's treatment forever.

telehealthtelepracticevirtual therapy

Parent Coaching: Why Training Parents Is the Future of Speech Therapy

The evidence is in — when parents learn the strategies, children make bigger gains. Here is why the best SLPs are coaching you, not just treating your child.

parent coachingparent-implemented interventionspeech therapy

Late Talkers: New Research on Who Catches Up and Who Doesn't

The old "70% catch up" stat tells only half the story. Here is what the latest research reveals about late talkers — and what actually predicts your child's outcome.

late talkerslanguage delaymilestones

How Music Builds Your Child's Brain for Language

The science behind why singing, clapping, and nursery rhymes are secretly building your child's speech and reading skills

musiclanguage developmentphonological awareness

Debunking Viral Speech Therapy Myths from Social Media

That viral TikTok about your toddler's speech? Let's talk about what the actual research says

mythsmisinformationsocial media

Gestures Are Language: Why Your Baby's Pointing Changes Everything

That tiny index finger aimed at a dog across the park is not just cute — it is one of the most powerful predictors of your child's future language skills.

gesturespointingmilestones

The New Science of Childhood Stuttering: What Parents Need to Know

Stuttering is far more common than you think, far more understood than it used to be, and far more treatable than most families realize.

stutteringfluencydisfluency

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