Speech and language delays: What’s normal and when to call your doctor

Most people have a good idea of what to expect when it comes to their two-year-olds. Some tantrums, a new desire for independence, getting into everything — but what should parents expect when it comes to speech? Is it really a problem when children are slow to start communicating?

According to Stanford Children’s Health, every child is different and develops at his or her own pace. It’s normal for children to reach developmental milestones at their own speed. But parents should expect something like the following for most kids:

* Six to 11 months: Babbling, says the first word, communicates with actions or gestures.

* Twelve to 17 months: Vocabulary of four to six words, answers simple questions nonverbally.

* Eighteen to 23 months: Vocabulary of 50 words (pronunciation is often unclear), simple two to three-word phrases, begins to use pronouns.

* Two to three years: Knows pronouns, descriptive words, can speak in three-word sentences, and can answer simple questions.

* Three to four years: Knows colors and can group objects, uses most speech sounds (but may distort some of the more difficult sounds), has fun with language, expresses ideas and feelings, can answer simple questions.

To see the complete list of milestones, visit: https://tinyurl.com/3n42cpur

If your child hasn’t met these milestones, make sure to talk to your child’s pediatrician, but don’t panic. According to Healthline, speech delays do not always mean something is wrong. And many types of speech delays can be effectively treated, whether they’re due to hearing loss or other problems.

According to KidsHealth, kids with speech or language delays should see a speech-language pathologist (SLP) right away. The SLP can perform a more extensive battery of tests to determine a child’s needs and work with parents to create a treatment plan.

What can parents do at home? According to KidsHealth, parents are crucial when it comes to helping kids develop their communication skills, whether delays are present or not. Communicate with your kids, read to them and use everyday situations as teaching opportunities, such as naming objects and explaining daily tasks.