Speech and Language Milestones - 2010-05-29
I have parent’s asking me all the time, ‘What should my child be able to say and understand’. So here’s a summary of what a typical two-year old should understand and express:
6 Months
• Vocalization with intonation • Responds to his name • Responds to human voices without visual cues by turning his head and eyes • Responds appropriately to friendly and angry tones12 Months
• Uses one or more words with meaning (this may be a fragment of a word) • Understands simple instructions, especially if vocal or physical cues are given • Practices inflection • Is aware of the social value of speech18 Months
• Has vocabulary of approximately 5-20 words • Vocabulary made up chiefly of nouns • Some echolalia (repeating a word or phrase over and over) • Much jargon with emotional content • Is able to follow simple commands24 Months
• Can name a number of objects common to his surroundings • Is able to use at least two prepositions, usually chosen from the following: in, on, under • Combines words into a short sentence-largely noun-verb combinations (mean) length of sentences is given as 1.2 words • Approximately 2/3 of what child says should be intelligible • Vocabulary of approximately 150-300 words • Rhythm and fluency often poor • Volume and pitch of voice not yet well-controlled • Can use two pronouns correctly: I, me, you, although me and I are often confused • My and mine are beginning to emerge • Responds to such commands as "show me your eyes (nose, mouth, hair)"Even if you feel your child is delayed, you should be noticing that your child is doing new things with his/her speech and language each month, such as adding new words or using them in new ways.
Perhaps you’ve discussed your concerns with your pediatrician and been instructed to give your child time to develop. Research supports that children who receive early intervention have a better outcome than children who receive services when they are older.
Don Harris, MS, CCC-SLP Certified Speech Language Pathologist www.SpeechAndListening.comBlog Archive
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