The YouGov poll found that nearly a quarter of boys aged between one and seven experience difficulties with talking and understanding speech, and 4 per cent of three-year-olds are unable to speak at all.
The survey of 1,105 parents, carried out last month, found around half of children who had difficulties received help from speech and language therapists, but a quarter did not get help of any kind.
It also found that the most common age for children to say their first word was between ten and 11 months old, and 13 to 18 months to put two words together and understand simple instructions.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here