At what age should a child be understood?

Intelligibility benchmarks for children aged 2 to 4 years

This poster presents the normative benchmarks for the development of intelligibility in French-speaking children aged 2 to 4 years, as documented in the scientific literature.

Designed as a visual reference tool, it allows speech-language pathologists, other professionals, and parents to assess a child's speech clarity level in relation to the developmental expectations generally observed at these ages. The poster thus supports clinical observations and facilitates discussions with families, without replacing a professional evaluation.

By putting into perspective the normal variations in speech development, this tool promotes a nuanced, realistic and respectful understanding of each child's pace, in an evidence-based approach.

Possible uses

• Explaining the guidelines for understanding to families
• Supporting communication during speech therapy assessments or follow-ups
• Supporting the training of speech-language pathology professionals or students
• Promote clear, consistent, and research-based communication

A simple, rigorous and accessible visual aid to better understand the natural evolution of speech intelligibility in children.