Toddlers are like sponges. They soak up every bit of information. What you put in, comes back out, along with some creative new things!
Between 12 to 18 months. Expect your baby to be even more communicative than an infant. Babbling transforms into first words at 12 months like “mamma” “oh-oh”. Then baby catches on to the purpose for using more and more words and the vocabulary starts to multiply. Every two months we notice the number of words spoken double or triple.
- at 14 months a toddler generally uses 4+ words
- at 16 months a toddler generally uses 8+ words
- at 18 months a toddler generally uses 15-30+ words
By 24 months there is a lot of variation (agents/nouns – actions/verbs – descriptives/adjectives) in the types of words used by the toddler. This cutie can now move through the challenging second year making phrases using 2-3 word combinations “Grandma go bye?”. The words may not all be clearly pronounced but they are close to the real word. Each word gets shaped into clearer sounds as your toddler listens to you repeat the word many times back.
Where does this language come from? Smart parents? YES but also a clever child! Toddlers and preschoolers have a huge capacity for language.
Remember, knowledge started at birth and continued into the first and second year. Speech development does not start with the first few words. Your child first learned the meaning of the world around him/her through seeing, hearing, touching, feeling, and movement. This knowledge integrated into an awesome little package. You and others had input. Comprehension of language is the foundation to expressing language through words, gestures, and body language.
What should I do if my child seems to be lagging behind?
Keep the input going. Take turns communicating. Keep your sentences short and clear. Wait for your child to try talking instead of jumping in and doing all the talking for him/her.
Contact a speech-language pathologist experienced with toddlers. An SLP has many suggestions of ways to stimulate those first words. There could be other reasons for the lag which you should explore. Never wait and see. One appointment can provide you with information you might not have thought of. Other referrals may be necessary. Often with speech delays or disorders a hearing test is recommended. There may be other developmental concerns you need to look at.
Remember don’t wait a year or more to find out basic information.