Toddlers start understanding language before they even start talking. Although babies are not ready to say words on the road of language development, the most important step is building their understanding.

The toddlers ( 12 to 36 months old) years are the major years of emotional and social development. Babies at this age generally have the problem in placing a sentence together. And most of the time they mispronounce many words for example substitution of “f” or “d” sound for “the”.

If you need any assistance or have a question about Speech Therapy for Toddlers, you can consult our HearingSol experts with your problem, feel free to call us on +91-9899437202. We are always here to help you.

Parents of toddlers who are at a risk or have speech, communication, language, swallowing and feeding disorder should receive supportive care speech therapy. Parents should include early intervention team of caregivers, families and other professionals such as speech therapist for their kids.

Speech And Language Milestones For Toddlers

Parents often get confused when it comes to prevention of speech-language disorder of their own kids. There are various milestones for speech and language development. The first milestone achieves when the infant learns that cry will bring comfort and food. Then the newborn starts recognizing different sounds. As they grow, toddlers start understanding words of their language.

Speech Milestone for Toddlers

In speech milestone your child will:

Smile when you appear and inmate sounds like’cooing’ and recognize your voice by 3 months.

Begin to pay attention to music, babble and make a variety of sound, and moving eyes according to the sound direction by 6 months.

Start saying some words like “Dada, mama, uh-oh”, matching familiar words and understand simple words by 12 months.

Say 10-12 words easily, follow instruction by gestures and recognize and say names of family members and body parts by 18 months.

Say a combination of 2 words like daddy bye-bye, understand simple questions and speak at least 50 words by 24 months.

Language Milestone for Toddlers

In language milestone your child will:

Make eye contact with you and say words like ‘ah goo’ and other combination of vowels at around 3 months.

Understand and copy some sound and gesture you make such as laughing, clicking, coughing, and playing with making different sound ‘aaieee, booo, ahhh like that at a varying pitch, at around 6 months.

Tries to repeat your sounds and understands “no-no” and make noise when talked to you at around 8 months.

Give answers of simple questions non verbally, points to objects, pictures, and family members and says 2-3 words to label a person or object at around 12-18 months.

Asks for common foods by name, points and say too simple body parts like “nose” and understand simple words such as “eat”, “sleep” at around 24 months

Every child is different from the other therefore, the development process also varies. There are few indications to check whether there is a need for speech therapy for toddlers or not. A checklist of the milestone is shown below to check the normal standard of speech and language development skills from birth to three years.

Indications of Speech Therapy For Toddlers

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other communication disorders (NIH), in the first three years of baby life, the brain starts developing and maturing. This starting period is the essential period for acquiring speech and language skills.

The skills develop best when there is a proper exposure to sights, sounds and constant exposure to the language and speech of other people. There is a checklist below for your baby hearing and communication development:

Birth to Three Months

Your kid reacts to loud sounds.

He knows your voice and calms down when crying.

Baby has some special ways of crying for different reasons.

Smiles and make pleasurable sounds when he sees you.

During feeding, stops or starts sucking in response to sound.

Four to Seven Months

Respond to sounds with his eyes.

Follow toys that make sounds.

Babbles when happy and makes different sounds, including that start with m, b, p.

Laughs and starts making gurgling sounds when along or playing with someone.

Seven Months to One Year

Enjoys while playing games like peek-a-boo or pat-a-cat.

Turns when spoken to and looks in the particular direction of the sound.

Babbles using a long group of sounds like “hihi”, “tata” to attract attention.

Understand common words like water, cup, and shoes.

Use gestures for communicating such as holding up arms or waving.

Try to understand questions(“Where’s your mug”) and follow commands(“Give the ball”).

Enjoy simple songs, stories and point to pictures in books.

Acquire new words and put them together(“More water”)

Have knowledge of a few parts of the body and can point to them.

One Year to Three Years

Speaks in a way that everyone understands.

Name specific objects and ask for them.

Speaks two or three words phrases and has a particular word for everything.

Use different sounds such as t, g, d, f, k.

Carefully read all the above points which are based on “how does your baby hear and talk?” depending on the specific time period. These points will help parents and speech-language audiologist to determine whether the kid is on track or he needs any help in a way of therapy.

Causes of Speech And Language Disorders

There are many causes of speech impairment in toddlers. Some of the language and speech disorders are mentioned below –

Oral Impairment – According to the Individual with Disability Education Act(IDEA), speech and language disorders are considered a communication disorder. These may be impaired articulation, stuttering or stammering, language or voice impairment. Delay in speech occurs due to oral impairment such as a problem with the palate(the roof of the mouth) or tongue.

Oral Motor Problems – A problem in the area of the brain can cause speech impairment disrupting the coordination between the tongue, lips, and jaw. Some toddlers also have oral motor problems such as swallowing or feeding problem.

Hearing Problems – Hearing loss is commonly related to speech and language delay and something overlooked but easily identified. Children who have trouble in hearing might have trouble in understanding, articulating and imitating.

Autism – Speech-language delay can be an early sign of autism . Autism has a great impact on the communication of the child.

Extreme Environmental Deprivation – Speech delay can also be caused due to extreme environmental deprivation. In these cases, if your child is abused or not given proper attention then your child doesn’t have any urge to learn or speak new words.

Neurological Problems – Neurological problems such as muscular dystrophy, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy affect the muscles required for speaking.

Prematurity – Prematurity can cause many types of developmental delays such as language and speech problems.

Apraxia of Speech – Apraxia of speech is a certain kind of speech disorder in which kids will have problems in executing speech movements and sequencing.

Selective Mutism – Selective mutism occurs when a toddler will able to talk in a specific environment or situation such as school.

How Does A Speech Therapy Help Toddlers

A certified speech therapist works to help your baby in improving his speech and language skills using different speech therapies for children. But with the involvement of a speech therapist parental involvement is also very necessary.

If you are working on your baby’s speech and language development so much but nothing goes better, then you have come to the right place. You can also do speech therapy at home to work on a plan to help your child reach success.

There are many types of toddler speech delay exercises. Follow these activities to help toddlers talk. Some of the effective speech development tips for toddlers are given below:

Speech Development Through Activities

Parents whose kid not talking at the age of 2, started getting worried. They keep on asking questions like “How many words should a 2-year-old be able to say?” So, in case your 2 yr old baby not taking yet then, stop panicking. A 24- month baby or 2 yr old knows approximately 50 to 75 words and is ready for the coming milestones. The two- word noun verb sentence might be difficult for the baby such as “want milk” and “baby sleep”.

Follow these At-home speech therapies for 2 years old and 2 and a half yr old. You will notice yourself that your baby starts expressing himself in big and longer sentences as time goes by.

1. Use Easy Words

Use easy feels like “da” and “ma” or “ba” and “aa” or “ooh” to babies even after they square measure newborn. These vowels and consonants have a good response from kids. These easy therapy activities facilitate your kid to speak. As they grow, they listen and take a look at to imitate you.

2. Speak Slowly So that Your Kid Will Understand

Try to use easy words and friendly tones. Your shaver will perceive what you’re language if you confer with her face to face. Create eye contact and speak slowly and with patience. If the kid repeats the words incorrectly.

Gently repeat the words in the correct manner, thus they understand the distinction. Also, notice your baby if he makes any kind of noise. Try to hear that noise and talking to him/ her back in order to make a conversation.

3. Play Together With Your Kid

Playing may be a great way to speak together with your kid and conjointly build motor skills and lots of different advantages. Enable your shaver to inform you what to try and do. Keep in the background and do solely what you’re asked to try and do.

Wiggling with your kid builds confidence while not pressurizing your kid to speak. Enjoying may be a fun a part of your therapy activities! Play with your baby or stay in the background while they are playing. This not only increases the confidence in your kid but also improve their communication.

4. A TV Doesn’t Facilitate to Induce Kids to Speak

Don’t on the TV as before long as you get home or have it on perpetually once your shaver is within the area. Contrary to what you will suppose the TV isn’t thought of a part of therapy activities. Contact with folks is crucial to language development methods.

5. Tell Your Baby What You’re Doing

When you square measure feeding, bathing or ever-changing your kid, keep talking concerning what you’re doing. If you’re going out, cite wherever you’re going with him/her in easy language. You may be surprised at the number of things that small brain will store and convey out at the foremost acceptable times!

6. Read Books

Reading a book with uncountable colorful photos and words is one of the simplest therapy activities there’s. Your kid can like to check out a book coiled on your lap. Reading gets related to security and love. This activity will lead your kid to a life-long love of books.

Read books with lots of colorful pictures and words to your child. This activity can also increase love for books within your kid.

7. Introduce Colors and Shapes

Show your kid colors on colorful building blocks and different things and gently imply the colors and shapes and say out the name of the form and color as you play together with them. Your kid learns to tell apart from each color and shapes naturally and at a similar time.

8. Hand Gestures

Use uncountable hand movements like approval, clapping, peek-a-boo, itsy bitsy spider (fingers crawl up his arm), waving once you leave and different gestures beside the suitable words. These hand gestures facilitate the kid to associate a word with that means and build their vocabulary.

9.Singing and Rhyming

Sing kid’s songs and narration together with your child. It’s a significant part of your therapy activities. They encourage speech due to the presence of rhythm and assonant words. It brings your kid nearer to you; you’re each having fun and learning too!

10. Introduce New Words

Try to add some new words to the words that your kid already says like “doll,” if he/she says doll you say “cute doll,” or “red doll.” Your baby learns various new words and is learning to associate words with one another. Point to him and say his/her name and Point to you and say “mommy/daddy”.

11. Teach them to Provoke Things

When giving your kid one thing to eat, name it, say “how concerning associate apple? we’ve got red apples. Will baby wish to associate apple or a banana?” whether or not it’s a shirt or dress in the morning or the selection of eggs or pancakes; kids learn to provoke things and create choices. This activity (also can| conjointly) also facilitate in your baby’s neuron development.

12. Encourage Communication

When your kid says one thing, encourage him by creating eye contact. Correct him solely by repetition what he/she is using language with the proper words. Therefore the kid learns the proper way to say words.

13. Teach “Thank You” and “Please” Early

Children learn from folks to be polite. Use the words please and many thanks once you speak to him/her and whereas chatting with different members of the family. Your kid can mechanically acquire these words too. Get members of the family to assist by cooperating. This activity also will facilitate to groom your kid to be a well-mannered adult in the future.

The best approach to stop speech and language delay in infants or toddlers is early intervention and treatment. Proper speech therapy and parental involvement improve your child’s speech and language delay.

Toddlers are like small explorers who love to learn by doing different activities. Playing works best and provides a great platform to practice new skills by following their own interests. In case you ask any speech therapists, then they would also advise you to adopt the best method which is to play with your kid and when we are talking about playing.

Speech Development Through Toys

Toddlers are like small explorers who love to learn by doing different activities. Playing works best and provides a great platform to practice new skills by following their own interests. In case you ask any speech therapists, then they would also advise you to adopt the best method which is to play with your kid and when we are talking about playing.

There are various types of toys for toddlers in the market. A parent can sometimes think that the colorful and shiny toys for kids such as a piano are the best toddler toy for 2 years old but it’s not true. These electrical toys can sometimes suppress your kid’s imagination as they didn’t need to think or do anything while these automatic toys keep on entertaining and engaging them.

Parent often ask questions like ” What do toddler want to play?” and “how to choose best educational toys for a toddler?” which can engage your baby interest for at least more than a week. Below are some of the learning toys which challenge, nurture and also increase your child’s speech development –

1. Choose Child Development Toys by Age

Every parent has experience in buying toys with which their kids play for only 2-3 days and after that never touch them again. In spite of buying such speech therapy games for toddlers, the parent should understand the importance of child development and opt for toys that can be fun at different developmental age.

For instance, a plastic animal can only be fun for a young toddler but at the same time, this toy for an older toddler can be a story which he or she can make up with their imagination.

Example – Toddler-friendly dollhouses, Action figures, and plastic toy animals, dolls and stuffed animals, dump trucks and trains.

2. Look for Toys that Build Imagination

These years are very crucial years for your child, especially when he become 2 and a half. When you are looking for toys for toddler girls or boys then go for toys that can help them develop and can act out their own stories. Buy toys that build language and literacy skills, the ability to sequence and problem-solving skills.

Example – Wooden blocks, toy food, and plastic plates, toy tools, toddler-friendly dollhouses, Dress-up clothing, firehouse, and action figures.

3. Choose Toys that are Multi-purpose

Every toddler likes activities such as pull out or puts in, build up and add-on. Try to buy learning toys for preschoolers with which they can play many games.

For instance, chunky plastic interlocking blocks which can be used in making a zoo, road spaceship or bridge. These types of toys help in building your kid’s imagination and develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Example – Interlocking blocks, toys for sand and water play, blocks, etc.

4. Buy Toys that Nurture Cross-Generational Play

Parent participation is also very important for speech development of toddlers. So, the kids need to play with the baby toys that involve adult participation.

Around the age 3, your child will begin engaging himself in memory and simple board games that encourage matching, counting and memory skills.

5. Make Sure Your Child Play With Toys that Make Him Active

At this growing age, toddlers involve in physical activities that make them confident and stronger. Make sure your child is getting involved in toys that are developing their current physical skills.

Example – Tricycles or three-wheeled scooters, Balls of different shapes and sizes, pull-toys, moving boxes( so that child can crawl through them), gardening tools to dig and rake with, and child-size basketball hoop.

Speech Development Through Smart Apps

Speech therapy apps for smartphones, computers, and tablets in these crucial young years has proved to be in great demand for speech therapy. These apps are not only affordable but easily accessible to both parents and their children.

Using speech impaired apps, make the learning process extremely easy for toddlers. Some of the best speech therapy apps are listed below:

1. Peek-a-Boo Barn Lite

It is the award-winning app for toddlers. This app teaches barnyard animal names in either English, Spanish, or also in other 10 other languages (such as French, Mandarin, and Italian). Kids can also hear the sounds that each animal makes.

It is available at iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire at a cost of $1.99.

2. Articulation Station Pro

It is one of the best articulation apps by Little Bee Speech. Helps children with speech sound delays. It offers exercises to practice 22 different types of sounds at both sentence and word level. It also offers longer story level. This app offers six activities such as matching, flashcards, unique sentences, rotating sentences, level 1 story, level 2 stories.

Articulation station pro is available on both Android and iOS phones.

3. Speech Tutor

Speech tutor app reduces your kid’s frustration. It offers an overview of what going on inside your throat and mouth during speech. It presents 132 animations which include both the side view and the front view of the mouth of your child.

Speech Tutor app is available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch and it will costs around $9.99.

4. Talking Pierre the Parrot

In this app, your kid will see a virtual pet which will repeat each and every word of your toddler. However, this is not a proper speech tutor app, but it is a very beneficial means to increase your child motivation in order to make him/her articulate properly.

It is a fun app which will help in building a positive reinforcement for a relaxing session. This app is available for free at iPad, iPhone, and iPad touch.

5. TallyTots

Best apps for a toddler who requires helping hand in verbs, counting, two-word combinations, and other concepts. It offers 20 mini-games which help children to have fun with numbers. TallyTots app features are sing-along counting song, mini-games, 20 puzzles that make your kid learn to count and counting guide.

This app requires iOS 8.0 and available compatible with iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch at $2.9.

There are other speech therapy apps also for toddlers such as Toca Boca Kitchen Monsters, My PlayHome Lite, iSequence, and Describe It to Me available on iTunes for iPad and Android.

Is Speech Therapy Good For Toddlers?

Speech therapies are not only good for toddlers but also for everyone who is facing communication difficulty. You just need to focus on your child activities and his pronunciation and must consult a therapist if needed.

The therapist gives the best treatment to your child which helps in his speech improvement. But with this every parents should keep in mind some early intervantions points, which are:

Prevention

Proper Screening, evaluation, and assessment

Planning, implementing and monitoring of intervention

All the team members are consulted and educated including parents and speech therapist

Transition planning

Advancement and awareness of the knowledge base in early intervention

Speech-language pathologist also suggests various exercises for speech. These speech therapy techniques encourage your toddler to talk and also improve his/her confidence.