How to help a toddler who is not talking (late talkers, delayed language, 2 year old)

Your little one isn't talking or only says a few words. What do you do? It is a good idea to check in with your child's doctor and have your little one's hearing tested. A child with a history of ear infections may show a delay in speech and language skills. If there is no history of ear infections it is still a good idea to get your child's hearing checked. Call your local Early Intervention Program if you child is under the age of three. In the United States you should be able to get a free assessment of your child's development. If your child qualifies he or she will be eligible to receive speech therapy on a regular basis. You can also get your child's hearing tested through this program. If your child is over the age of 3 you can call your local school district and they will direct you to the correct place.

What does normal language development look like anyway? By age two a child should speak at least 50 different words and start to use 2 word phrases. By age three a child should speak about 1,000 different words and speak in an average of 3 word sentences. Also, a two year old should be understandable to strangers at least half of the time. 3 year olds should be understandable to strangers at least 75% of the time.

A speech therapist is trained to help your child's speech and language and can provide instruction to meet your child's specific needs. As the parent you can also make a difference in helping your child's language skills. Here are a few useful strategies that you can use with your child:

1. Be a broadcaster. Talk about what you are doing or what your child is doing or seeing. Use short and simple phrases. For example if you are playing catch with your little one you can use words like "ball go," "catch ball," or "ball up" to describe what your child is seeing. Keep your phrases simple and repeat the same words often.
2. Keep your level of communication slightly above your child's level for a portion of the day. Set aside time each day where you only communicate in a simple level. If your child says no words only communicate with your child using gestures or single words. If your child says a few words then speak to your child in single words and 2 word phrases. Imagine what it is like to learn a foreign language. It is difficult to understand and imitate new words when your child is hearing them in the context of long sentences. It is much easier to imitate or understand new words when they are presented in a more simple format.
3. Turn down the pressure to communicate. Some children respond well when they are asked to say a word. Other children do not. If your child does not respond well to requests to imitate do not ask him to imitate. Instead model use of the word over and over again. Instead of making him say cookie to get a cookie say something like "cookie," "(child's name) cookie," "mama's cookie," "eat cookie," "cookie," "mmmm, cookie," and "cookie gone" as he eats and finishes the cookie. This will give him lots of input so that next time he wants a cookie he will be more likely to say "cookie." If he doesn't then lather, rinse, and repeat. Some children need to hear a word over one hundred times before they even attempt to say it.

If you are looking for more strategies go to Help My Child Talk.