Unlocking Communication Through Speech Therapy

At LEAPS Therapy Clinic, we help children take meaningful LEAPS in communication, connection, and confidence.
Every child develops at their own pace, and some benefit from extra support with speech, language, feeding, and social interaction. Our compassionate team partners with families to nurture these skills in ways that feel natural, supportive, and empowering.


Therapy at LEAPS is child-centered and intentional. Our experienced speech-language pathologists use effective, evidence-based strategies and play-based approaches to create engaging therapy experiences that build real-life skills. Sessions are designed around each child’s unique strengths and needs, helping them express themselves more confidently and connect meaningfully with the world around them.

Our speech therapy services support a wide range of communication and feeding needs, including speech clarity, receptive and expressive language development, social and pragmatic language skills, fluency, motor speech differences, apraxia, hearing loss, autism, feeding and swallowing challenges, and other developmental differences. Each therapy plan is individualized, respectful, and focused on helping children grow with confidence—one LEAP at a time.


Speech therapists can assist clients with a variety of conditions such as:

  • Apraxia
  • Articulation Disorder
  • Auditory Impairments
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • ADHD
  • Cleft Lip or Palate
  • Developmental Delays
  • Fluency Disorders
  • Resonance or Voice Disorders
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Swallowing Disorders and Other

Some Interventions for Speech Therapy:

  • Articulation/phonological intervention to address errors in speech sounds
  • Receptive and expressive language interventions
  • Oral motor therapy to further strengthen muscles for improved speech and swallowing
  • Pragmatic language and social skills
  • Augmentative and alternative communication
  • Reading and writing development (literacy skills)
  • Aural rehabilitation for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have cochlear implants
  • Feeding and swallowing therapy

Speech and Language Developmental Milestones

Each child is unique and may meet certain milestones earlier or later than others. If you feel your child is not meeting many of the milestones within their age range, contact our speech-language pathologists to see if an evaluation may be helpful.

Birth to 3 Months

  • Listening

    Alerts or startles to sound or loud noises

    Smiles or quiets down when you talk.

    Starts to recognize your voice

    Turns or looks towards voices or people talking

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Cries differently for varying needs

    Makes sounds back and forth with you

    Makes sounds that differ depending on whether they are happy or upset

    Makes cooing sounds (e.g., “oooo,” “ahhh,” etc.)

  • Social Language

    Smiles at people and when spoken to

  • Listening

    Alerts or startles to sound or loud noises

    Smiles or quiets down when you talk.

    Starts to recognize your voice

    Turns or looks towards voices or people talking

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Cries differently for varying needs

    Makes sounds back and forth with you

    Makes sounds that differ depending on whether they are happy or upset

    Makes cooing sounds (e.g., “oooo,” “ahhh,” etc.)

  • Social Language

    Smiles at people and when spoken to

3–6 Months

  • Listening

    Eye gaze moves in the direction of sounds or objects.

    Recognizes and reacts to different tones of voice.

    Attends to music and toys that make sounds

    Listens and watches you when you’re speaking.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Begins to make sounds with lips together, such as “blowing raspberries.”

    Vocalizes during play or with objects in mouth

    Produces mostly vowels

    Some babbling appears.

  • Social Language

    Babbles to gain attention

    Establishes eye contact

    Makes sounds that express mood

    Giggles and laughs

    Responds to facial expressions

  • Listening

    Eye gaze moves in the direction of sounds or objects.

    Recognizes and reacts to different tones of voice.

    Attends to music and toys that make sounds

    Listens and watches you when you’re speaking.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Begins to make sounds with lips together, such as “blowing raspberries.”

    Vocalizes during play or with objects in mouth

    Produces mostly vowels

    Some babbling appears.

  • Social Language

    Babbles to gain attention

    Establishes eye contact

    Makes sounds that express mood

    Giggles and laughs

    Responds to facial expressions

6-12 Months

  • Listening

    Turns towards familiar sounds and voices.

    Responds to their name.

    Listens to simple words and phrases.

    Recognizes common objects by sound.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Begins to use gestures like waving and pointing.

    Imitates speech sounds.

    Produces babbling with different consonants.

    Understands simple words like “no” and “bye-bye.”

  • Social Language

    Engages in back-and-forth interactions.

    Shows preference for certain people.

    Smiles and laughs in response to others.

    Tries to imitate facial expressions and sounds.

  • Listening

    Turns towards familiar sounds and voices.

    Responds to their name.

    Listens to simple words and phrases.

    Recognizes common objects by sound.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Begins to use gestures like waving and pointing.

    Imitates speech sounds.

    Produces babbling with different consonants.

    Understands simple words like “no” and “bye-bye.”

  • Social Language

    Engages in back-and-forth interactions.

    Shows preference for certain people.

    Smiles and laughs in response to others.

    Tries to imitate facial expressions and sounds.

12-18 Months

  • Listening

    Recognizes and responds to common words.

    Pays attention to short stories and songs.

    Understands simple directions.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses first words consistently.

    Points to objects when named.

    Tries to copy new words.

    Babbles with sentence-like intonation.

  • Social Language

    Shows interest in social play.

    Tries to communicate needs using sounds and gestures.

    Imitates simple actions.

  • Listening

    Recognizes and responds to common words.

    Pays attention to short stories and songs.

    Understands simple directions.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses first words consistently.

    Points to objects when named.

    Tries to copy new words.

    Babbles with sentence-like intonation.

  • Social Language

    Shows interest in social play.

    Tries to communicate needs using sounds and gestures.

    Imitates simple actions.

18-24 Months

  • Listening

    Follows simple two-step instructions.

    Recognizes names of familiar people and objects.

    Listens to simple stories and rhymes.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses 10-50 words.

    Begins to combine two words together.

    Names objects and pictures.

    Asks simple questions.

  • Social Language

    Engages in pretend play.

    Shows increased independence.

    Uses gestures and words to get attention.

  • Listening

    Follows simple two-step instructions.

    Recognizes names of familiar people and objects.

    Listens to simple stories and rhymes.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses 10-50 words.

    Begins to combine two words together.

    Names objects and pictures.

    Asks simple questions.

  • Social Language

    Engages in pretend play.

    Shows increased independence.

    Uses gestures and words to get attention.

2-3 Years

  • Listening

    Understands simple opposites (big/small).

    Follows two-step directions.

    Recognizes familiar songs and rhymes.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses 200-500 words.

    Speaks in short sentences.

    Asks “what” and “where” questions.

  • Social Language

    Enjoys playing with others.

    Takes turns in conversations.

    Expresses emotions with words.

  • Listening

    Understands simple opposites (big/small).

    Follows two-step directions.

    Recognizes familiar songs and rhymes.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses 200-500 words.

    Speaks in short sentences.

    Asks “what” and “where” questions.

  • Social Language

    Enjoys playing with others.

    Takes turns in conversations.

    Expresses emotions with words.

3-4 Years

  • Listening

    Understands more complex sentences.

    Follows longer instructions.

    Listens to short stories without interruption.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses 1,000+ words.

    Speaks in full sentences.

    Asks “why” and “how” questions.

  • Social Language

    Enjoys group play.

    Engages in conversations.

    Uses imagination in play.

  • Listening

    Understands more complex sentences.

    Follows longer instructions.

    Listens to short stories without interruption.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses 1,000+ words.

    Speaks in full sentences.

    Asks “why” and “how” questions.

  • Social Language

    Enjoys group play.

    Engages in conversations.

    Uses imagination in play.

4-5 Years

  • Listening

    Understands and follows detailed instructions.

    Listens to and recalls parts of stories.

    Recognizes letters and sounds.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses complete sentences with correct grammar.

    Tells short stories.

    Asks and answers complex questions.

  • Social Language

    Engages in cooperative play.

    Adjusts speech based on the listener.

    Uses appropriate greetings and manners.

  • Listening

    Understands and follows detailed instructions.

    Listens to and recalls parts of stories.

    Recognizes letters and sounds.

  • Communciation and Language Use

    Uses complete sentences with correct grammar.

    Tells short stories.

    Asks and answers complex questions.

  • Social Language

    Engages in cooperative play.

    Adjusts speech based on the listener.

    Uses appropriate greetings and manners.

Our dedicated speech  pathologists at LEAPS Therapy Clinic are here to guide your child’s journey in speech and language development. Call us today at (205) 884-7621 to schedule an evaluation and see how we can help!