When should I be concerned about my child not talking or being behind in their communication development?  While every child develops at their own rate, but if you are concerned, it is best to have them evaluated by a speech therapist.

An evaluation by a speech therapist is beneficial if your child has a language challenge, trouble correctly pronouncing words, or difficulty understanding instructions.

Not knowing can be overwhelming. Understanding the different stages of how speech and language develop can help answer any questions and put your mind at ease.

The American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), offers insightful to help parents and caregivers not be so overwhelmed.

Each child develops uniquely, even within the same family, and may meet certain milestones earlier or later than others.

What should my 19 to 24 month old child be able to do?

Uses and understands at least 50 different words for food, toys, animals, and body parts. Speech may not always be clear—like du for “shoe” or dah for “dog.”

Puts two or more words together—like more water or go outside.

Follows two-step directions—like “Get the spoon, and put it on the table.”

Uses words like me, mine, and you.

Uses words to ask for help.

Uses possessives, like Daddy’s sock.

How can you help your child?

Talk about sounds around your house. Listen to the clock tick, and say “t-t-t.” Make car or plane sounds, like “v-v-v-v.”

Play with sounds at bath time. Blow bubbles, and make the sound “b-b-b-b.” Pop bubbles, and make a “p-p-p-p” sound.

Talk to your child as you do things and go places. For example, when taking a walk, point to and name what you see. Say things like, “I see a dog. The dog says ‘woof.’ This is a big dog. This dog is brown.”

Give your child two-step directions, like “Get the ball and put it in the box.”

Use short words and sentences that your child can repeat. Add to words your child says. For example, if they say car, you can say, “You’re right! That is a big red car.”

Tell stories or read to your child every day. Try to find books with large pictures and a few words on each page. Talk about the pictures on each page or things you see around you.

If you have any concerns about the development of your child’s speech or language, contact First Words Therapy. We are happy to help with any concerns or answer any questions.