Building Vocabulary

Once they are talking, there are many ways to build a child's vocabulary.

• Continue giving running commentary - Talk about all the things they are doing and seeing. Be sure to include functional definitions and a adjectives.
• Continue echo expansion - When they say "More juice." Model back "You'd like more apple juice, please?" Keep their language intact and ad on. Model longer phrases and more descriptive language.
• Plan-Do-Review - If you are going to the pumpkin patch this weekend, before you go get out the pictures from last year and discuss the details or check out a few books from the library about pumpkin patches. This is the "plan" part. While at the pumpkin patch give them running commentary about all that is happening. This is the "do" part. After, talk about what was their favorite thing to do or discuss the day when you get the pictures printed. This is the "review" part. Children are benefitting from having the language before, during and after.
• Encourage emotion language - Label their and your emotions. Talk about the causes and consequences of emotions. Discuss how people calm and how people cope.
• Play word games - For the beginner, this includes "I spy" and rhyming games. As they get older, this is 20 questions, telephone and Mystery Garden.
• Practice following directions - By two years old we expect two-step directions, by three years old three-steps. A three-step directions is "Go to the kitchen, get your shoes and bring them to the front door." If you are unsure, play the Crazy Directions game. This is where you say things like "Find the cat, kiss his nose and jump up and down. Ready, go." This is more fun and serves the same purpose.
• Give a vocabulary word a day - There are many websites and calendars to build vocabulry and the idea is to present and discuss a new word each day with you child. See how often you can each use it.
• Continue to read aloud - Plan to do this long past the point they are reading to themselves. Yes, it is nice to give them time for that but plan to do both. Everyday have some time spent reading independently and some time spent reading aloud.

Early Speech Milestones

With so many patterns of normal speech and language development it can be difficult to sort out what is most important. There are a few basic milestones that if not met, signal flags in early language development.

• First word - Most people say babies should have a first word by 1 year old. The range of normal for a first word is 10 to 16 months.
• 50 words by 18 months, concern if less than 10 - Most babies have in the ballpark of 50 words by 18 months. There is concern if there are less than 10, particularly if those 10 are garbled or only used once or not really in context. I actually wouldn't be concerned if they only have 5 words but those words were clear, well used in context and consistent.
• 2 words together by 24 months - Most babies are putting two words together by 24 months. Many of them are stringing 6 and 7 word sentences but the concern is single words only.
• For articulation - Think that children should be 50% understood by strangers at 2 1/2 years old. This means half the time when your child speaks to the lady checking groceries, she understands him. By 3 years old this jumps to 75%, meaning more often than not she understands. It doesn't count to be understood by grandma or great babysitter, they hear his language often. This marker is for strangers.

I am a firm believer in the benefits of early intervention. If you feel or worry your child has a speech or language issue, there is no harm in having an evaluation. Children often enjoy the process and at best they reassure you and let you know to let go of the concern. At worst the child qualifies for what were needed services and you get started on a better long-term path. Somewhere in the middle, they may not qualify for services but you are given great guidance for working with your child to make improvements at home. Whatever the outcome, early intervention also provides a baseline. A professionals take of where your child is and how to move forward.

Using Developmental Checklists

We started our morning Play & Workshop program with a checklist of Language Development milestones by age so I'll give a few comments about using checklists (I'll post this list tomorrow if I can figure out how). For now I'll just mention - the best way to use checklists is to look for progress overtime. I hesitate to even give checklists because many parents immediately fall into one of two traps:

Trap One - Looking only for weaknesses

Many parents get bogged down by items their child is low on. Child may be high on 6 of 7 measures but the parent is narrowly looking at the seventh category.

Trap Two - Comparing to every other child in the room

Many parents fill out the checklist while glancing just as often at their neighbor's paper and can't help but ask, especially if they find an area that's low (see above).

The best way to use checklists is to fill it out, put it away for a few months, get it out again and fill it out like new. Then go back and check for progress. By all means if you see an area of weakness, you might make a plan of action on how to improve and then really look for progress based on your efforts. While I don't want you stuck in weaknesses, if you made efforts and still don't see progress it may warrant further investigation just don't get stuck. Worry doesn't tend to serve you well here.