If all of your friends’ toddlers are babbling and your toddler isn’t talking yet, you may have cause for concern. One of the things parents often use to measure their child’s development is how early they start talking. Babies begin to experiment with noises from an early age, usually consisting of babbling, the typical “goo goo” and “gaa gaa” sounds, these will develop into “ma ma” and “pa pa”. These babblings eventually progress to mom and dad. So how do you determine if your child has a speech development delay, and what do you do if your toddler isn’t yet speaking?
Every day your child will find different ways to shape his mouth and change the noise he is making; the first step in the development of your speech. Parents naturally spend a lot of time talking to their babies, but they do so instinctively and primarily to enjoy the social interaction it provides. Many do not realize that this is also essential for the development of their speech and language skills.
Babies recognize the sound of their parents’ voices even before they are born; they become familiar with us when they are in the womb. Parents’ voices are comforting to them, especially newborns before their vision is fully developed. Babies and toddlers imitate their parents; that’s how they learn. The more verbal communication you have with your child, the faster he will learn.
By the time your child is twelve to eighteen months old, your baby should be saying words like mommy and daddy. During the next year of her son’s speech development, she will learn to form small sentences and communicate her needs to her family members. By the age of 21 months, most children can be understood by their family. If your child is unable to communicate with family members and be understood by the age of 30 months, that would be cause for concern. At any stage, if your child does not meet the developmental timelines appropriate for her age, she should seek professional advice. Trust your instincts, most of the time parents know better.
If your toddler is not yet talking, there are things you can do to encourage speech development. Researchers have shown that keyword signing, also known as baby sign language, increases language acquisition by up to 3 months. Parents reinforce children’s language using sign language, as gestures are used along with the word. Parents who use sign language with their children are often more aware of their communication with babies and inundate them with language on a daily basis. Gesture-based baby sign language also improves word comprehension, since the gesture is a natural movement that mimics the meaning of the word. Reading to your child is another important strategy that will go a long way in improving your child’s language skills. When they are exposed to reading at an early age, they become aware of the way language comes and goes and are more likely to be interested in books later on.
So if you’re worried your toddler isn’t talking yet, take a look at the developmental timeline to make sure they’re hitting the recommended milestones. Not all babies develop at the same rate, and the normal range can vary by month. If you’re looking for ways to encourage speech development because your toddler isn’t talking yet, reading and key word signing are good places to start.
