Talk to your toddler about what he or she did during the day or plans to do tomorrow. "I think it's going to rain this afternoon. What shall we do?" Or discuss the day's events at bedtime.
Play make-believe games.
Read your child's favorite books over and over and encourage him or her to join in with words he or she knows. Encourage "pretend" reading (let your child pretend he or she is reading a book to you).
Typical Vocabulary and Communication Patterns
Between the ages of 2 and 3, children experience a tremendous growth spurt in language skills. Although each child develops at a unique pace, when it comes to language skills, by the age of 2, most children can follow simple directions and can speak about 50 to 200 words. Many children may also begin to echo what they hear and begin to combine words in short phrases.
By about 2 years of age, a child usually knows at least 200 words and uses fragmented and short phrases. Children at this age usually can follow additional instructions, such as "Come to Daddy." A 3-year-old's vocabulary typically falls between 200 and 300 words, and by this time many children begin to string words together in short sentences.
Kids at this stage of language development start to understand more and speak more clearly, and they're usually able to use language to engage in a simple question-and-answer format. By age 3, children should be using language freely, experimenting with sounds, and beginning to use language to solve problems and learn concepts. They can also count 3 objects correctly and will know their age. However, although they are using and understanding many words, only about 3/4 of what they say will be understandable to others.
What Should I Do if I Suspect a Problem?
If you suspect your child is having trouble with speech clarity, call your child's doctor. A hearing test may be one of the first steps in determining if your child has a hearing problem. Two years of age is not too young for a referral for a speech/language evaluation, particularly if your child is not following directions or answering "yes" or "no" to simple questions.
A speech-language pathologist (an expert who evaluates and treats speech and language disorders) may recommend direct therapy, referral to a developmental pediatrician if there is suspicion of a global developmental delay (delays in more than one area of development, including gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, language, and social skills), early intervention services, or a follow-up assessment to see if your child will catch up over time.
Typical Communication Problems
Communication problems for 2- to 3-year-olds include:
- hearing difficulties
- problems following directions
- poor vocabulary acquisition
- speech dysfluencies (difficulty initiating or sustaining sounds)
- delayed acquisition of phrasing skills
- unclear speech
Problems - such as autism. Children with autism and related conditions may have delayed speech or other problems with communication, but poor social interactions, and limited or restricted interests or patterns of behavior are also hallmarks of this disorder. If you have any questions or concerns about your child' development, talk with your child's doctor.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD