At what age are children typically expected to eliminate the pattern of fronting?

Children are typically expected to eliminate the pattern of fronting by around 4 years of age. Fronting is a phonological process where sounds that are produced further back in the mouth (like /k/ and /g/) are replaced with sounds that are produced more towards the front (like /t/ and /d/). This is a normal part of speech development, as young children may have difficulty producing certain sounds correctly.

By age 4, most children show increased clarity in their speech and begin to master more complex sound patterns, including the elimination of fronting. As children receive more exposure to language and practice their speech, they develop better articulation skills, allowing them to produce a wider range of phonemes correctly. This timeline is consistent with developmental norms, as speech therapists often evaluate patterns like fronting during this critical period to ensure that children are on track in their speech development.

Children may still exhibit some phonological processes after the age of 4, but fronting is generally expected to be resolved by this age, which reflects the maturation of their oral and cognitive skills necessary for speech production.