Speech Development in Toddlers

Not all children will progress at the same pace with their speech development. However, there are some basic guidelines to help you determine where your toddler should be at specific ages. If you are concerned about your child's speech development you should discuss it with your doctor. She can perform tests to rule out problems such as hearing, physical or development issues. The more you communicate with your child the easier it will be for him to learn to speak and understand.

12 to 15 Months

• By the time your toddler is 12 to 15 months old she should be making a variety of babbling sounds and a minimum of one word besides "mama" and "dada." It may be an object like "ball," or perhaps "dog."

18 to 24 Months

• When your toddler reaches 18 months he should be using around 20 words. By 24 months he should begin to make combinations such as "go swing," and he should have at least 50 words, or partial words, in his vocabulary. He should also be able to understand two-part instructions such as "put down the ball and bring me your book."

Two to Three Years

• By the time your child is two to three years old, she should begin to use short three word sentences. She should also have a better understanding of what you are saying and be able to differentiate between some colors, sizes and shapes.

Delayed Speech

• Some causes for delayed speech development are hearing difficulties, oral problems with the tongue or palate, or general developmental issues.

Tips

• Talk and sing frequently to your child even when she is an infant. Begin reading to her at around six months and continue to do so at appropriate age levels. Talk to your toddler every day, pointing out things and naming them.

Warnings

• You should consult your physician is your child is not using gestures, has difficulties making sounds or does not understand basic instructions. If you child does not say words or phrases on his own, uses repetitive sounds or words, cannot follow basic instructions or is difficult to understand, you should seek medical advice.