Child & Family Development Child & Family Development

July 9, 2013

Should my 2-year-old be talking?

“My 2 year old isn’t talking!  Should I be concerned?”

This is a question that brings many families in for a Speech-Language Therapy Evaluation at Child and Family Development. Let me first start by giving you some language milestones for a child this age. By 19-24 months, you should expect your child to…

  • Imitate words
  • Point to a few body parts when named (i.e. “Where are your eyes?”)
  • Point to familiar objects and family members upon request (i.e. “Where‚Äôs Mommy?,” “Show me the bird.‚Äù)
  • Use at least 20 words
  • Produce two-word utterances and imitate short phrases
  • Ask for food by type (apple, cookie)
  • Understand 300 or more words
  • Use “no” to protest

If your child is not doing these things, you can work at home to help build language skills. Here are some tips:

  1. Talk about everything! Label objects around the house. Encourage your child to use his or her words, and try to “withhold” items until your child makes at least an attempt at verbally requesting them.
  2. READ BOOKS! You don’t need to read every word. Describe what you see by pointing and labeling items and describing the characters and actions in the pictures. It’s okay to use the same book several times a day as repetition is beneficial.
  3. Bring objects or food items close to your mouth when labeling! This will bring the child‚Äôs attention to how you are producing the word. 
  4. Ask your child to find items for you. For example, say “Ian, get the ball and bring it to me.” If your child does not follow your request, show him how to do and ask again. Practice makes perfect and builds vocabulary and comprehension.  
  5. Schedule a Speech Language Therapy evaluation to see if your child can benefit from speech therapy services. The speech therapist can provide more ideas and strategies to encourage language growth at home. Read more about  Pediatric Speech and Language Evaluations.

For more information on developmental language milestones or to schedule a Speech Language Therapy Evaluation, call me at Child and Family Development (704) 332-4834, ext 122.