Strategies for Delayed Speech in a Toddler
Speech is a verbal expression of language. Generally, toddlers with normal speech development are able to speak 20 to 50 words and form simple, two-word sentences. Some toddlers experience speech delay for various reasons, such as developmental problems, oral impairments or hearing loss. Parents of otherwise healthy toddlers experiencing speech delay can implement several strategies designed to assist with speech development.
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Ask Choice Questions
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While questions with yes or no answers are useful for obtaining information, these types of questions are not useful for encouraging toddlers to use words. Instead of yes or no questions, communicate with your toddler by using choice questions, or questions that require a more lengthy answer. An example of a choice question is “Do you want apple juice or milk?”
Communicate
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Children mostly learn by imitating the adults and older siblings around them. One way to encourage a toddler’s speech development is to spend time communicating with the child. Start communicating with your child from infancy by talking, singing, imitating different sounds and making different gestures. As the child grows older into the toddler stage, talk with the child about subjects the child finds interesting, such as toys, snacks or playtime.
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Create Communicative Temptations
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Encourage a toddler to communicate by creating communicative temptations, or different situations that require the child to communicate in order to accomplish a goal. For example, play with toys that require assistance, such as bubbles. Blow a few bubbles, close the bottle and wait for the child to ask for more. Another example is to take a favorite toy and place the toy in a see-through container that is difficult for a child to open. Wait for the child to ask for the toy before opening the container.
Read Stories
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Encourage speech development by reading to your child around six months of age. Use age-appropriate picture, board or soft books that children enjoy touching. Encourage your toddler to point to pictures in the book and name them or read books that involve child participation, such as making motions or singing a song.
Consult a Speech-Language Pathologist
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If after implementing at-home strategies to encourage speech development, your child is still experiencing speech delay, consider seeking the advice of a speech-language pathologist. The speech-language pathologist will assess your child’s speech development and determine if the child can benefit from speech therapy. Typically, parents not only observe and participate in the therapy sessions, but also work with the child at home under the guidance of the therapist.
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References
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