Your role
You can help your child's language skills along by providing a rich and nurturing communication environment. The most important things to do:
Talk. Research shows that children whose parents spoke to them extensively when they were babies have significantly higher IQs and richer vocabularies than other children. You don't need to chatter nonstop, but speak to your child whenever you're together. Describe what you're doing, point things out, ask questions, sing songs. (Although some baby talk is okay, resist the temptation to coo and babble. Your child will learn to speak well by listening to you speak well.)
Read. Reading to your child is a great way to expose him to new vocabulary, the way sentences are put together, and how stories flow. But don't just read the words — ask your child to find things in the illustrations or tell you what happened to the characters.
Listen. When your child talks to you, be a good listener — look at him and be responsive. He's more likely to speak up when he knows you're interested in what he's saying.
When to be concerned
You're the best person to gauge your child's speech development. If he's showing any of the signs listed below and you feel concerned, it's a good idea to discuss the possibility of a language delay or hearing problem with your child's doctor.
If it seems necessary, your doctor will refer your child to a pediatric speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. (A searchable directory of certified therapists can be found on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Web site.) Alternatively, your doctor's office, daycare provider, or local school might be able to direct you to an early intervention program in your area — usually coordinated through the county or public school system — that will provide free screening for language problems.
Some signs to look out for:
12 to 18 months
Your child isn't saying any words by 15 months (including "mama" or "dada"), didn't babble before his first birthday, is unable to point to any body parts, or you still can't understand a word he's saying by 18 months
19 to 24 months
Your child rarely attempts to speak or imitate others, drops consonants from words (saying "ea-ut" for "peanut," for example), doesn't seem to get frustrated when you can't understand what he wants, or only uses single words — no combinations.
25 to 36 months
Your child continues to drop consonants, has difficulty naming most everyday objects, hasn't started to use two- or three-word phrases, or by age 3 cannot be well understood by someone who doesn't know him.
If your child stutters, it doesn't necessarily signal a problem. Stuttering is a normal phase, especially when his ability to communicate is expanding so rapidly. Sometimes he'll be so excited to tell you what's on his mind that he can't get the words out fast enough. But if his stuttering continues for more than six months, or if it's bad enough that he tenses his jaw or grimaces in an effort to get the words out, talk with his doctor about it.
What comes next
As your child grows, he'll become more of a chatterbox. There might be moments when you long for those peaceful days of speechlessness, but for the most part, you'll delight in his play-by-plays of what happened at preschool, what he thinks about dinosaurs, and his descriptions of what his best friend likes to eat.
By age 4, your child will use about 800 words. He'll begin to understand and use correct tenses, along with the words "won't" and "can't." Oh, and get ready for every why, what, and who question under the sun.
