What to Do If You Suspect Your Toddler Has a Speech Delay
By Yvonne Kimmons
Watching a toddler develop is one of the most awesome things a parent can experience. We marvel at their first steps and anticipate their first words. Most parents anxiously await the development of their child's vocabulary not only because it is cute, but because it gives the child the ability to express their wants and needs. It's understandably concerning when your toddler appears to have a language delay. So the questions you should ask yourself are: Is my toddler experiencing a speech delay or just moving at his own pace? And if so, how do I help my child to progress at a pace that will support the stage of learning he currently needs to meet?
Expert believe that a child develop should ideally fall into these categories
12-15 months- child can say Mama-Dada
18-24 months-child is able to point to and name a few body parts as well as name pictures of animals and other items.
16-24 months- able to combine a couple of words together to form short sentences. If a child cannot do so by at least 24 month the parent should consult the doctor for direction.
Usually a child 2 and over can say in the neighborhood of about 50 words.
If you are concerned, you should first schedule your child for a doctor's visit to insure his hearing/vision is okay. A major oversight by many parents is that a child may be disobedient or not able to follow instruction due to rebellion or a learning disability. In some cases the child's hearing or vision may be inadequate. It could be something such as a prolonged ear infection or various other hearing impaired issues. For this reason this is the first step to assessing possible speech delay.
If indeed your child's hearing is fine here are some other steps you should take:
1. Begin to talk with your child more! As you are talking to him make sure to verbalize what you are doing. For example say. Mommy is doing the laundry, we need to get the clothes clean!
2. Ask questions to encourage conversation. The more your child talks the more confident he will feel with his speech.
3. Read to your child. It not only allows him to hear words and their pronunciation and usage but it is quality time together.
4. Find a playgroup or daycare setting where your child can talk and socialize with other kids his age. Like with anything else repetition is key.
5. Don't criticize your child speech it will only discourage him from speaking. And if after doing everything you know and have researched and you see no improvement, seek outside help by getting a referral from your pediatrician.
Most importantly be patient, as you probably know every child develops at a different pace. Allow your child to grow and develop naturally while closely monitoring for possible special needs.
Written by Yvonne Kimmons, co-owner of LittleHandsBoutique.com. Your Upscale Resale for Little Ladies and Gents! For more fun articles and advice on toddler issues please visit the Toddler Times section of our website and view our blog.
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