2 Yr Old Talking

The best strategy is to simply talk with her. I wouldn't worry about flash cards but rather just incoporate conversation into her day. While reading books you can ask her about the pictures, characters, etc. and do the same thing as you do things with her. When you ask her a question and she answers, repeat her answer while expanding on it at the same time. For example "What do you want to drink?" She may say milk then reply You would like milk to drink or aske her to say "Can I have milk?" The more language she hears and is exposed to, the more she will progress with her language skills...just talk to your child!

SING! I have a 3 year old and work in my churches nursery with 1 year olds. The kids that come in not talking normally leave at least singing the songs that we do during lesson. Short simple children's songs are something fun for them and really gets them WANTING to be involved. Some good ones are Wheels on the Bus, If You're Happy and You Know It, Jesus Loves Me, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Pat A Cake, etc. These are all very repetitive and fun for the kids to sing. Also basics like the ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle where the melody is the same can help them as well. My son is very musically inclined, so anything that is music based he will pick up on much faster than in a book or just with flash cards.

Otherwise I'm with everyone else, don't stress yourself too much, make sure she has a hearing evaluation and that she's hearing properly and as long as your MD/Pediatrician isn't too worried you don't need to be either.

We had the same issues with my son only I didn't recognize it. It was brought to my attention by our Parents as Teachers representative on a regular screening. Through Johnson County Infants and Toddlers he got free speech therapy weekly that came to our home and visited him at his daycare. The therapist was awesome and he would get so excited when she was coming. The therapy was all play based and she had great toys. After age three we transitioned to the school system. He has speech class at our local elementary twice a week. Now he talks nonstop and we understand most all of what he says. He is four years old and I think may not need speech class at all after this year. Try Johnson County Infants and Toddlers and if you have trouble locating them go through your school office. If you have trouble write me back and I can probably dig up some numbers. I've never paid a penny and I couldn't be happier.

I agree with the others who suggested Parents as Teachers its an excellent resource for voicing any developmental concerns, they also offer play groups for little ones. My grandson started speech through them and later was offered free preschool with bus transportation. They then seamlessly transferred this to his elementary this year since PAT is an extension of the school systems.
I also had a niece that didn't speak until she was 3, she had an older sister, so I'm not sure why she didn't, but when she did it was in sentences. She's still very quiet, but extremely smart, 4.0 in High School and college on scholarships. So my advice is to talk to her more, ask her questions that she needs to answer with more words. Take her to PAT they are wonderful or talk to your adviser if your already involved and enjoy the quiet while you can, eventually you won't be able to quiet her down:)

I agree with getting her hearing checked, just to rule out any problems. Definitely contact parents as teachers. And, you could request a free speech evaluation through the Missouri First Steps Program....they provide free therapy services for children under three..they come out to your home and are wonderful!!! Their number is ###-###-####. Good Luck!!

The only way to get a toddler to talk more is to talk more TO her, not at her. This means get down to eye level with her, see things from her perspective, talk about them, explain them to her, describe them, tell stories about them. The more talking you do with your child, the more words she'll learn. Good luck! My daughter was speaking in complete sentences by age 2. People were always shocked by her conversation skills at that age, but it's because I never talked AT my daughter, I talked to her and with her. We read all the time too. That helps. I let her watch adult shows on Discovery and TLC (anything having to do with babies, doctors, nurses, etc.--since I'm a nurse!). It really helps!

If your child can talk and doesn't seem to have any hearing problems, I would just let her be who she is. Some kids talk a lot and some kids don't. I have an almost 2 year old that doesn't stop talking, but we play with other kids that hardly talk. My daughter is extremely outgoing and social, where as some of her friends and introverted and thoughful. Neither is bad, just different. Maybe consider your personality or your husbands. Are either of your more introverted? If you talk to her and read with her, you are doing a wonderful job! Encourage her to continue her love of singing and books, but don't push her to be someone she isn't.

BTW: If you are concerned that she is behind, it might be worth getting her hearing checked.

Get in the Parents as Teachers program and then put her on a waiting list for a good preschool. She needs to socialize more to find her voice. Good luck and God Bless.

Have you asked the peditricain if she suspects an issue my daughter is 20 months old and she is a talker she can say as of right now I want more milk or juice and is specific she has a large vocabulary.Have you documented what she can say and any withdraws from certain words she once knew and no longer does.I would read read and read to your daughter and talk to her about everything that you are doing going to do what the signs are outside there is so much you can do besides flashcards,this will expand her surrounding and vocabulary.All chidren are not the same in anyway and don't get disouraged if you see a friends child say more than your daughter for example just being concerned right now is hard enough but deffently get help if there is an issue with her speech,she can be screened at no cost I know my school district does this in my area and will refer you out to a speech therapist.Sahm of 2 and 1 more on the way.

Hi J.,

When my youngest child was around two (she's now 22), about the most we heard from her was uhhh as she pointed to whatever she wanted - and then whom ever was closest would get it for her. Sometimes as parents and grandparents we don't realize we do these things! If you want to help her begin to talk do what we did with my Granddaughter - tell her she needs to use her words. She'll get frustrated, but eventually she will talk a mile a minute, next you'll find yourself telling her to slow down and WISHING for just 5 minutes of peace!

Don't worry too much about it - they all talk when they are ready!

N.

I'm sure you've heard this and don't really want to hear it again, but she will talk when she's ready to talk. Since she is saying some words I'm going to assume that her hearing is fine and so is her little voice. But some kids just don't have much to say. My younger daughter, my friends daughter and another friends son were all the same way. Never talking then all of a sudden at almost 3 they just started talking is full sentences. Just keep talking to her, reading to her and she'll finally have something to tell you.

Call Parents As Teachers! Just call your school district and ask how to get a hold of them. They can visit you more than every six weeks if she needs it, and they can also refer you on if needed. When you call please mention your problem so you can get help faster, there are certian windows of opportunity in children and if you miss those it can cause problems, call them today. Thanks! and good luck!

As others have said, Parents as Teachers is a great resource. Even if you get on a waiting list for home visits, they usually have play times that you can go to. Also, if you haven't had her hearing checked, do that. My daughter was always very quiet. At 2 we learned she had fluid on her ears and had some mild hearing loss, which was corrected with tubes. now she talks non-stop.

I agree to get Parent's as Teachers involved if you haven't already. They are a great resource when you have concerns. One of the things that worked for us is to teach our daughter to sign. We used Baby Signing Times when we first started and now the regular Signing Time videos. You can get both from the library. At first we thought she was depending on the signs only to communicate but as she was able to say the words she would both sign and speak them. She begs to watch her videos each day and our communication is increasing very quickly. Hope that helps.

I would make sure you talk to her alot. Ask her questions that she needs to answer. She may just not be ready to talk yet. I have a niece that would never talk and when she was almost 3 she started talking all the time.

Wow! Keri sounds just like me. Our son was in the Parents as Teachers program when we moved to Atchison and was referred to the Infant and Toddler program by them for speech delays. Low and behold, we found out that he had fluid on his ears (even though no ear infections...never had that prob). Once we got tubes in he was a whole different person! But be mindful...if you end up with the tubes, sounds that she couldn't hear may now bother her.

I would recommend definitely getting the ears checked by a good ENT (I highly recommend Pamalea Nicklaus at Children's Mercy), and continue with the singing. I've seen some of the piano books at TJMaxx where you can punch out the song and sing along...that would get her singing AND learning to read at the same time! :) Good luck!

There is a program called Parents As Teachers...it is free to all income levels. They come into your house about every 6 week and play with and talk to your child. The do evaluations to see where they are in their development. They give you paperwork that says where they should be and what the next step in their development is. If you have any concerns they have the resources and can tell you where to get the necessary help. My daughter is 2 & 1/2 and talks ALL the time, however she is around alot of grownups and teenagers. Still, it is nice to have someone else give me input into how she is doing. They also offer outings and activities once a month for anyone who is interested, they do basic health screenings, etc. Just search for Parents As Teachers on your computer or look in the phone book.

K.

make her use her words. if she wants something, she has to ask for it, or at least try to use the word consistently. make her say EVERYTHING. she'll get mad in the beginning but it pays off in the end. at her age regression is very common, esp with a new sibling. but really stick to your guns and make her talk, reinforce language constantly, repeat everything as you give it to her and the baby. preschool or headstart is good, too.

i would pay attention to how you're interacting with her - don't anticipate her needs so much maybe, expect her to tell you what she wants...i have always been a chatter with my son who is also two, i would find myself repeating whatever noise or jibberish he was saying, and he's started doing it to me (which i know all kids parrot, but i do think i encouraged it a bit!) and lastly, some of the other ladies mentioned some groups - my son's vocab is incredible and i think it's partly because he's around other kids just a bit older than him, all day long. i have to work out of necessity, but if you could get her around other kids as much as possible i am certain it would help. just my two cents. good luck!

The best thing Ive found is to get her around lots of other kids. Her speech will flourish!! Slightly older kids will help because theyre speech is already further developed. I noticed a HUGE improvement in my daughter's speech when we started her in daycare at 21 months. Since youre a SAHM you dont want to have to pay someone to watch your kids when you could be watching them for free, but try to get her in some play groups or if you have any friends with kids, get together with them more often.