Speech is the way your child makes sounds and puts them together to make words. If they have problems with speech, it can affect their ability to communicate or be understood by others.

• Childhood apraxia of speech
• Encouraging new sounds and words
• Getting ready to use sounds in words
• Learning speech sounds in English

Language is the way your child uses words, gestures, and body language to communicate. If they have language problems, your child may struggle to communicate their ideas and needs. They may also struggle to understand what others are saying.

• Using stories to help your toddler learn language
• Using storybooks to teach your child language skills
• Words and concepts

Literacy is the skills that your child uses to read and enjoy books. Written words are all around us. If your child has problems with literacy, they may struggle with many activities at home, school, and in the community.

• Becoming a better reader
• Early literacy
• Having fun with books
• Helping your child understand what they read
• How reading helps language development
• Phonological awareness: Learning the sounds in words
• Telling stories to improve writing
• Using stories to help your toddler learn language
• Using storybooks to teach your child language skills

When someone talks, the words usually flow smoothly and without interruption. Stuttering is when your child struggles to communicate because they repeat or get stuck on words or sounds. Or they may struggle to get words out.

• How a teacher can help a student who stutters
• Tips to help you speak with someone who stutters
• What is stuttering?
• What you can do to help when a child stutters

When your child speaks, their vocal cords vibrate as air passes through them. These vibrations create your voice. Voice problems may affect your child’s pitch (how high or low their voice is), loudness, and the quality of their voice (e.g., breathy, rough, strained).

Resonance problems affect the way the voice is shaped by your child’s throat, mouth, and nose (e.g., too much or too little air moving through their nose).

• Hoarseness in children: Care instructions