R E S O U R C E S
SPEECH INTELLIGIBILITY
It is not unusual for children to mispronounce speech sounds as they learn to speak. However, by the time that children are 4 years old their speech should be understood by an unfamiliar listener nearly 100% of the time.
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To learn more about speech sound disorders see our Speech Disorders page.
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Reference
Flipsen, P. (2010). Measuring Intelligibility in Children: Why and How. American Speech-Hearing Association Annual Conference
Why use an unfamiliar listener?
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Unfamiliar listeners are not accustomed to the child’s speech and will give a more accurate rating. Unfamiliar listeners can be anyone with limited exposure to your child’s speech, including distant family members, friends, doctors/nurses, and daycare staff from different classrooms.