A printable version of the Request for Assistance Guidelines is available here
Remember to always consider individual circumstances when referring to the guidelines below. In particular, consider the impact of a child’s communication pattern on their well-being and function. Do you feel there are communication needs identified that are stopping them doing anything, or that are affecting their relationships? This may influence whether a request for assistance is made for one individual, but not another, of the same age.
Concerns to look out for at Any Age
- Differences in play/social interaction
- A hoarse voice or abnormal voice quality
- Challenges with eating/drinking in terms of chewing and swallowing
For pre-school children who stumble on their words or stammer, parents and carers can phone the Helpline and/or they can be signposted to attend ‘My Child has a Stammer’ webinar for support and advice regarding stammering.
Age 18 Months
Request For Assistance Not Necessary
- First words emerging -possibly up to 19-and points to objects to be named
- Understanding more words and phrases than they can say e.g. Where’s your coat?
- Copying words and short familiar phrases
- Parents may still understand child’s attempts at language better than unfamiliar listeners
- Interested in other people and attempting to communicate with them
Monitor/Signpost to Let’s Talk for Little ones Webinar and/or Helpline
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- Possibly using jargon with a couple of words
- Understanding language in specific contexts e.g. “Here’s your cup”
- Looks with interest when hears language but no attempts to copy words
- Able to concentrate for short periods on toys or interaction with adults
Request Assistance from Speech and Language Therapy
- Poor attention e.g. unable to sit with adult for short period
- Does not make eye contact or show interest in adults or other children
- Not using any words/no babbling
- Doesn’t look to people or objects when named
- Doesn’t turn to look where sounds are coming from (?Hearing)
Age 2 Years
Request For Assistance Not Necessary
- Small number of words i.e. 10 – 50
- Speech usually intelligible to parents in a known context
- Understands words and simple phrases without clues
Monitor/Signpost to Let’s Talk for Little ones Webinar and/or Helpline
- Good pretend play. Able to concentrate for short spells
- Possible jargon/babble and few words (less than 10)
- Responds to instructions
Request Assistance from Speech and Language Therapy
- Little pretend play
- Poor attention
- Very few or no words
- No consonants in speech; uses vowel sounds only
- No apparent comprehension or inability to assess this
Age 2.5 Years
Request For Assistance Not Necessary
- Comprehension appropriate for age (i.e. understands many single words and some simple instructions)
- Large single word vocabulary (50 plus words and beginning to link words together)
- Speech intelligible to close family in a known context
Monitor/Signpost to Let’s Talk for Little Ones webinar and/or Helpline
- 10 – 30 plus single words and parents report making progress (no concerns re: comprehension or language)
- Has a favourite speech sound which is over-used
Request Assistance from Speech and Language Therapy
- Poor comprehension of language
- Few or no words although other skills are good (e.g. attention/play)
- Unintelligible to mother/close family even in a known context
Age 3 Years
Request For Assistance Not Necessary
- Uses appropriate sentences of 3 or more words
- Welcomes and responds to adult suggestions most of the time
- Odd words can still be hard to understand
- Speech can usually be understood by familiar adults
Monitor/Signpost to Let’s Talk for Little Ones webinar and/or Helpline
- Uses sentences containing only 2 words (play/attention/comprehension good)
- Rarely intelligible, other than to close family.
Request Assistance from Speech and Language Therapy
- Poor comprehension of language
- Only saying single words (or learnt phrases) although other skills are good (e.g. good comprehension/play/attention)
- Unintelligible most of the time to close family, even in context
- Limited pretend play
- Cannot attend for longer than a few minutes
Age 3.5 – 4 Years
Request For Assistance Not Necessary
- Utterances are at least 5-6 words long and used appropriately
- Is usually intelligible to you and to the nursery staff
Monitor/Signpost to How to Help Your Child’s Speech webinar and/or Helpline
- Only sometimes intelligible to familiar adults, outside the family.
Request Assistance from Speech and Language Therapy
- Evidence of echolalia. Difficulties with comprehension of language
- No evidence of 5-6 word utterances (although play and comprehension are good)
- Unintelligible to family most of the time. Shows a disordered speech pattern e.g. omits all initial consonants, or uses the wrong vowel sounds, or has a favourite sound which is over-used
Age 4 ½ – 5 Years
Request For Assistance Not Necessary
- Utterances are long and appropriate, but some grammatical features are still incorrect (e.g. past tense ‘comed’, ‘breaked’)
- Usually intelligible to adults and to other children
Monitor/Signpost to How to Help Your Child’s Speech Webinar and/or Helpline
- Only sometimes intelligible to strangers
Request Assistance from Speech and Language Therapy
- Close family only understand 50% of what the child says
- Severely unintelligible even in context. Shows a disordered speech pattern e.g. omits all initial consonants, or uses the wrong vowel sounds, or has a favourite sound which is over-used
- Significant comprehension and/or expressive language difficulties
Age 6 – 7 Years
Request For Assistance Not Necessary
- Some grammatical features are still incorrect (e.g. ‘felled’, ‘buyed’)
Request Assistance from Speech and Language Therapy
- Significant comprehension and/or expressive language difficulties
- Child’s speech is unintelligible and/or children monitored at 4 ½ – 5 years who have not improved