At this age, children typically go through several speech milestones. Here’s a general guideline to help you assess whether your child’s speech is developing normally:
By Age 2, most children will:
- Have a vocabulary of 50–100 words: Some children may have more words, while others may have fewer. It varies, but the key is that they’re making progress in their vocabulary. Note 50 -100 is considered within the normal range.
- Use two-word phrases: For example, “want cookie” or “big truck.” These combinations show that they are beginning to understand how words fit together.
- Understand simple directions: A child at this age should be able to follow simple instructions like “come here” or “give me the toy.”
- Be able to be understood by family: While speech might not be perfectly clear, parents and caregivers should still be able to understand a significant portion of what the child says.
- Imitate sounds and words: Your child may start mimicking words or sounds you say.
- Use a variety of consonant sounds: Around age 2, kids should be making different consonant sounds, though their speech may still have errors (like substituting one sound for another).
Signs to Watch For:
If you notice any of these signs, it may be worth discussing with a paediatrician AND Speech Therapist:
- Limited vocabulary: If your child has fewer than 50 words by age 2, seeing a Speech Pathologist is HIGHLY recommended.
- Difficulty combining words: If your child isn’t using at least two words together by 2 years old, it could signal a delay.
- Limited understanding of simple commands: If they have trouble following simple directions or don’t seem to understand what you’re saying, this could indicate a need for further evaluation.
- Gestures: If your child is only using gestures, pulling at you to respond to their needs or biting and hitting out of frustration then this is a concern.
- Poor clarity in speech: If your child’s speech is so unclear that even close family members can’t understand much, this might be a concern, especially if they aren’t making progress over time.
Tips to Encourage Speech Development:
- Talk to your child often: Describe what you’re doing, name objects, and have back-and-forth “conversations.”
- Read together: Books are a great way to introduce new vocabulary and ideas.
- Encourage play with other children: Social interaction helps develop both language and social skills.
- Limit screen time: Too much passive media (like TV or tablets) can limit the opportunities for real conversations. I -pads, i-phones and TV DO NOT teach your child to speak. In fact they do the opposite. Studies show that young children on the i-pad etc for periods of time during the day is in fact destroying the white matter in their brain.
- Use words to any object they touch or any action ( e.g if your child wants you to pick the up, as you pick them up say the word: “up, up, up’. This way they are learning to associate a word to an action.
If you’re ever concerned about your child’s speech development, don’t hesitate to consult with a speech-language pathologist for a more thorough evaluation. They can help you stimulate your child’s speech and language development.