If you have a 2ish year old, how are they talking?

[MamaSnoo]

There is so much variation between kids; it can really get to you if you let it.

DD will be 2 in two weeks. She says more than 100 "words," but most are just the first syllable if they have two syllables (e.g. water=wa, ap=apple, etc). She rarely says the full word. She does do some short sentences (e.g. "momma all wet" "eat cupcake" "I see stink el-pant" "dada worp" "read pooh buk"). I tried to give you an idea about the pronunciation, which is poor. DH and I understand her really well, but no one else can really.

Oddly, she just starting saying her own name this week, even though she has been able to name her classmates at daycare for a while.

I think that as long as DC is making progress with speech, that it is not something to be overly worried about.

[LexyLou]

My 2 1/2 year old talks a lot. I full sentences and understand situations and things like "both", before and after etc. She talks very well BUT...

my 4 year old did not talk like this at 2 1/2. In fact my 4 year old was in speech therapy for articulation. She did not have the verbal capabilities that my 2 1/2 year old has right now and she's 100% on par with her peers right now.

So really, I think they all develop differently and at different rates. Like Sofia is very verbal and knows all her shapes and colors but she can't pedal a trike yet.

[gordo]

DD is 21 months and maybe has 5-7 words. She is my second. I did have her tested through early intervention last month and she came out at a 12 month level for expressive language, but her receptive language was right on track. DD also has had about 14 ear infections, so I am sure that is coming into play. She is starting speech therapy on friday.

If you are concerned, it can't hurt to ask for an eval. Either you find out he is on target, or you find out he is not and can get him started with therapy. Go with your gut.

[HIU8]

My 2 1/2 yr old is extremely verbal. She has an extensive vocabulary and understands more complex ideas. However, she is in speech therapy for articulation b/c she had fluid in her ears and was not hearing certain sounds properly.

conversely, DS (who is now 5) spoke well at 2 (in at least 5 or more word sentences), but could not hold the type of conversation that DD can hold with us. I think it just depends on the child. They all develop at their own rate. DN, at 2, did not speak at all. She started speaking around 2 1/2 to 3. At 4 she uses 5 word sentences (she has other issues going on though).

[american_mama]

Thanks all. I don't know if it was concern or hurt pride that led to my question. I think I misjudged the age of expolsive language growth and thought it was here and kind of anti-climatic, but really, I think it's still ahead of DS. I also may have been comparing DS to kids who are most advanced verbally rather than average.

These posts reminded me that my mother always said second and subsequent children speak later, which was echoed by many psoters, but I had forgotten that and assumed the reverse.

Thanks for the details everyone.

[lchang25000]

Story from a mom we know in our town. Her DS had been receiving intervention and therapy for a while but nothing was happening. He was about 3 years old and mom was having a really bad day and I guess she started getting a little emotional with him over this..... "You have to talk! Whats the matter with you? I can't deal with this!!! You need to talk!"

Just then - That 3 year old boys first words happened

"Leave me alone!"

Wow! Nothing like some good 'ole pressure to get him talking, huh?

[maestramommy]

Well, I've had two kids in EI for speech, so take that for what it's worth, but I know that your kid is speaking better than mine at 23 months. Arwyn didn't actually start speech services until she turned two. She started talking more or less on time, but then just stopped progressing. by 23 months she had a handful of words and that's it. No word combos. And she seemed to be understood by only me, and sometimes Dh. She's a lot better now, but still not caught up. Her progress has actually been much slower than Dora's, even though Dora started talking much later.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that kids develop very unevenly, while your kid may seem slower than her peers, she may not actually be delayed. I was SURPRISED by how well Dora tested in speech when she was evaluated by the school district. in the 50th percentile, so totally average. But her peers talk so much better. They must be in the 90th percentile then