When Should I Be Concerned About My Child’s Speech Delay?
Every child develops at their own pace, but how do you know when your child’s speech or language development might be a reason to seek additional support? Knowing some of the milestones to watch for can help you recognize when it may be worth talking to a professional.
I’m Ellie. I’m a speech-language pathologist here at Metro Therapy, and I wanted to talk about when you might need to be concerned about your child’s speech and language development.
It’s important to keep an eye on your child’s speech and language development and whether they are far off from meeting different milestones. If you notice your child is struggling with meeting any of these milestones, it might be worth getting a referral from your pediatrician for an evaluation.
Speech and Language Milestones Around 12 Months
Around 12 months, we usually want kids to be playing with you, interacting, and using eye contact. Other things to look for include reacting to loud noises and turning to you when you say their name.
Also around 12 months, we want to see babbling and using a lot of gestures, like clapping and waving to communicate.
When Should a Child Say Their First Words?
As far as first words, if you’re not seeing any first words emerge by 15 or 16 months, that can be a little bit concerning. That might be a time that you would reach out for an evaluation.
Speech and Language Milestones Around 18 Months
By 18 months old, we usually like to see kids have at least 50 words that they’re using consistently. We like them to be able to follow some simple directions, like “come here.”
Usually by 18 months, they are relying more on using words as opposed to nonverbal communication like gestures.
Speech and Language Milestones Around 2 Years Old
Around two years, most children will start making short phrases, putting together words like “go car.”
It might be a little concerning at this point if your child is very hard to understand, although some mispronunciation is still normal at this age.
Another thing that might be concerning around two years is if they’re having trouble answering yes-or-no questions or simple WH questions, like “What is that?” or “Where is Dad?”
When to Consider a Speech and Language Evaluation
Overall, if your child is having difficulty expressing their wants and needs or if they’re very difficult to understand, it can lead to a lot of frustration for them. If you’re noticing that, it might be worth reaching out to set up a speech and language evaluation.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s speech and language development, give us a call here at Metro Therapy at (763) 450-9400. We’d be happy to help.
