The toddler stage can be an exciting one for a parent. Children between 1 and 2 years old walk, problem-solve, start to interact with others socially and begin to speak. Language development in toddlers is characterized by a number of communication milestones. A significant delay in your child's speech or language may necessitate an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist.
One to Two Year Olds
By the time your toddler turns a year old, he should be able to say simple understandable words, such as "dada" or "mama" and imitates the words of others, say Mayo Clinic experts. He comprehends the word "no" and is able to follow simple, one-step commands, such as "Eat your dinner." He'll be able to identify body parts on himself and others and pay attention to simple songs and stories. Consonant sounds become more complex, and as he nears the age of 2, he may string words together in a grammatical form, such as "more cookie."
Two Years and Older
By the time your toddler is 2, her speech and language skills are more sophisticated, notes the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She asks for common objects by name, such as "toy" and "milk", uses short phrases, such as "go nap," and starts to use such pronouns as "me" and "mine." You may also notice that she utters simple queries such as "Go bye?" and "Where puppy?" using a question inflection. She can follow simple two-part commands such as "Get the cup, and put it on the table."
Understanding Toddler Communication
There are two components to overall communication development, speech and language. Your child's language skills, says ASHA, should allow him to understand the meaning of words, form new words and string words together to form simple sentences at a level appropriate for his age. Language or speech development in toddlers may be delayed for any number of reasons, such as a hearing impairment, recently repaired cleft palate or a condition such as mental retardation, which results in pervasive developmental delays. But some children may simply be behind the bell curve and function less proficiently than their peers.
Disorders
A toddler may have difficulty mastering expressive language skills--sharing his thoughts, ideas and feelings with others, says the ASHLA, or be unable to comprehend what others tell him, in which his receptive language skills aren't intact. Receptive and expressive language disorders don't necessarily go hand in hand, although they often do. However, it's possible for your toddler to have above average receptive language functioning but still be unable to express himself at an age-appropriate level.
Speech disorders can consist of an articulation disorder characterized by sound substitutions and other errors that aren't appropriate for the child's age. For example, the child may still say "wabbit" rather than "rabbit," or "gog" instead of "dog." A toddler who speaks in an inappropriately loud or grating tone can become hoarse or even lose his voice. Stuttering may also impair his ability to communicate.
When to Worry
ASHA points out that children pass through various stages of speech and language development predictably. However, the exact age at which they reach the milestones described above is variable. It's difficult to gauge how well any toddler will master the art of communication in three months, or even a year, ASHA warns. If your toddler hasn't acquired most communication milestones appropriate for his age group by the time he's 18 to 30 months old, speak with his pediatrician. Frequently, a doctor will screen your child's hearing before consultation with a speech-language professional is recommended.
Getting Help
Language disorders and speech disorders in toddlers can occur at the same time or independently, says ASHA. These disorders can be mild, moderate, severe or in rare cases, profound. A child who is unable to make himself understood can experience high levels of frustration. A comprehensive evaluation conducted by a speech-language therapist using standardized testing can determine the age at which your toddler is functioning compared to his biological age. If a disorder is diagnosed, the therapist will determine if speech and/or language therapy is needed. Sometimes when disorders are mild, the therapist will advise re-evaluation after the the child is given a specified amount of time to acquire additional speech and language targets.
