What Are the Earliest Consonants to Develop in Speech?

The earliest consonants to develop in English are the sounds made with the lips and front of the tongue, such as: /m, b, t, n, w, d, p/. Distortions of vowel sounds are rare and often indicate a more severe speech sound delay. Babies often begin babbling with vowels and consonant vowel productions of early sounds, such as, “ma-ma, da-da, wa-wa.” If your toddler has difficulty producing these early speech sounds, it’s best to contact a speech-language pathologist for an assessment. Early intervention can help a child achieve school readiness.

Readers: What were some of the earliest words used by your children?

About the Author: Melissa Goff, M.S, CCC-SLP, is the owner of Sunflower Speech & Myo Therapy, PLLC, in Charlotte, NC.