Toddlers are pretty darn cute as they begin to talk - putting sounds, words and sometimes even trying to put short sentences together! As they discover their voice, they will also develop a new awareness of their lips, tongue, cheeks and even their teeth. The most important thing to remember is that every child develops at their own rate.
Toddlers may exhibit a delay in speech development for a variety of reasons. Speech delays can be due to an oral impairment, such as physical complications with their tongue or palate. Frenulum (small fold under the tongue) shortening or tightness which can significantly limit tongue movement and range of motion is another possibility. Lastly, environmental/birth factors such as complications during a mother’s pregnancy or delivery.
Many kiddos with a speech delay commonly exhibit oral motor problems as well. In which case, you may notice challenges with feeding and meal times. When considering challenges in speech development, it is extra important to also take into account any possible challenges with hearing and/or chronic ear infections. In this case you can consult with your child’s pediatrician or ENT.
So now… what exactly should you look out for? What should you be aware of to address any possibly delays in speech development for your child? Here are some important milestones in speech development to consider as your baby grows into toddlerhood:
0-3 months, your child should be smiling and engaging with others through their facial expression and eye contact, cooing and gurgling
4-7 months, your child should be babbling
7-12 months, your child should be making a few sounds and may say their first words, such as “mama” or “dada”
12-18 months, your child should be saying a few words, anywhere from 5-40 words
From 1 1/2 to 2 years, your child will now be putting 2 words together
From 2 1/2 to 3 years, your child will use 2-3 word sentences to talk about things, and often ask for things
In addition to the production and articulation of sounds/words, it is important that your toddler understand simple instruction and language. If you notice your child is not responding or understanding you, consult with your pediatrician and one of our skilled speech therapists.
If your toddler is talking very little or not at all, an evaluation with one of our skilled speech therapists is strongly recommended. Therapeutic intervention for children is recommended sooner than later, so if you have any concerns, prior to toddler years, come and see us for a complimentary screening. We’re happy to help you, by carefully walking through your concerns and confirm if a comprehensive evaluation for your child is recommended.
The speech therapists at Champion Pediatric Therapy help children of all ages with various speech and language disorders, including articulation, fluency, and language disorders, implementation of AAC devices, oral motor skills, and general communication challenges. We have an expert team of therapists who are here for YOU and happy to help you and your child in any way we can!