As a baby approaches toddlerhood, parents feel overjoyed. In toddlerhood, a undergoes many developmental stages such as visual development, walking, and talking. Parents look forward to it eagerly since it is the time their baby will take their first step or speak their first word. However, the development is not equal among all toddlers and some may not be early talkers.
It causes worry and stress in parents as they feel something is wrong with their kids. They start searching for the answer to different questions and inquire about new topics. It takes time and patience to get your baby to talk and it will not happen overnight. Through this blog, you can learn about the ways to talk to babies who are not yet speaking.
Toddler speaking development
Ideally, it is believed that by 18 months of age, babies know the basic pronunciation of six to twenty words and comprehend many more. Once they turn 2, the speech and language milestones include a vocabulary of fifty or more words.
They might fail to pronounce it perfectly, but they will know how to pronounce it. However, if they are unable to reach the milestones and say less than six words, parents should speak to a professional. It might be a normal delay and they are not quite there, but if there is an issue, it is good to get help early.
Ways to create talking opportunities
- When you are trying to expand your toddler’s vocabulary, you should focus on attaining the next level. Do not skip steps and go ahead since it will confuse your baby. Stay simple because trying to teach something complicated might take you backwards. Listen to your kid and follow their lead instead of making them follow yours. Make the sessions fun and interesting to grab their attention.
- Repeat the words that your toddler is trying to say to you. They might be unable to say it clearly, but it will be clear enough for you to understand. Build on their words and expand their sayings. For example, if your baby points at the ball and says something else, you could say, “Yes, it is a ball”.
- Read together with your kid as it is good for them no matter what their age is. Babies have short attention spans so they will ask you to turn the pages constantly. Be patient and slowly read out the words in the books or refer to the pictures.
- Perform self-talk or parallel talk with your kid. Talk to your baby about the things you are currently doing to make them interested. For example, if they visit you in the kitchen when you are cooking, say “Mommy is making food”.
Parallel talk is similar but instead of saying your doings, you narrate what your baby is doing. It will help them to connect words with actions and learn faster.
Conclusion
As parents, you will worry about your child’s health and development. Nevertheless, you should try not to stress too much if your baby is not speaking yet. Generally, it is because they need more time to process words. The age at which babies begin talking varies comprehensively. It does not affect their future development. Teaching them to speak requires consistency and patience, so relax and have fun with them.