How Should I Communicate With My 2 Year Old Child?

The more interactive conversation and play a child is involved in, the more a child learns. Reading books, singing, playing word games, and simply talking to your child will increase his vocabulary while providing increased listening opportunities. Here are a few suggestions to help improve your child's communication skills:

*Talk to your toddler about what he did during the day or plans to do tomorrow. "I think it's going to rain this afternoon. What shall we do?" Or discuss the day's events at bedtime.

*Play make-believe games.

*Read your child's favorite books over and over and encourage him to join in with words he knows. Encourage "pretend" reading (let your child pretend he's reading a book to you).

Between the ages of 2 and 3, children experience a tremendous growth spurt in language skills. Although each child develops at a unique pace, when it comes to language skills, by the age of 2, most children can follow simple directions and can speak about 50 to 200 words. Many children may also begin to echo what they hear and begin to combine words in short phrases.

By about 2? years of age, a child usually knows at least 200 words and uses fragmented and short phrases. Children at this age usually can follow additional instructions, such as "Come to Daddy." A 3-year-old's vocabulary typically falls between 200 and 300 words, and by this time many children begin to string words together in short sentences.

Kids at this stage of language development start to understand more and speak more clearly, and they're usually able to use language to engage in a simple question-and-answer format. By age 3, children should be using language freely, experimenting with sounds, and beginning to use language to solve problems and learn concepts.

If you suspect that your child is having trouble with hearing, language acquisition, or speech clarity, call your child's doctor. A hearing test may be one of the first steps in determining if your child has a hearing problem. Two years of age is not too young for a referral for a speech/language evaluation, particularly if your child is not following directions or answering "yes" or "no" to simple questions.A speech-language pathologist (an expert who evaluates and treats speech and language disorders) may recommend direct therapy, referral to a developmental pediatrician if there is suspicion of a global developmental delay (delays in more than one area of development, including gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, language, and social skills), early intervention services, or a follow-up assessment to see if your child will catch up over time.

Communication problems for 2- to 3-year-olds include: hearing difficulties

problems following directions

poor vocabulary acquisition

speech dysfluencies (difficulty initiating or sustaining sounds)

delayed acquisition of phrasing skills

unclear speech Problems - such as stuttering - may be a developmental process that some children will outgrow. For others, more intensive therapy may be needed. Medical professionals, such as speech pathologists, therapists, or your child's doctor, can help your child overcome these communication problems.

Reviewed by: Steve Dowshen, MD

Date reviewed: May 2000