Are you looking for resources to help your toddler’s speech delay?
Are you not sure that it’s a speech delay and somewhat concerned about your toddler’s development?
Is your 2 year old not talking yet?
Do you have a 3 year old and dealing with a speech delay?
If you’ve said yes to any of these questions, you’ve come to the right place!
Trust me I know just how you’re feeling right now because I was in the same situation. My 3 year old has a speech delay and I only wish I had this advice long ago.
Side note: Because every child and household is different it’s hard to say what is right and wrong. You really need to access the situation and apply these helpful tips the best way it suits your family.
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Tips to Help your Toddler's Speech Delay
Early Detection. Seek help early and get your child evaluated. I was told so many times times to wait and that eventually my little one would start talking on her own. I highly recommend that you don’t do that. . . Don’t wait! The earlier you start working on your toddler’s speech delay, the better it will be for the both of you. Be sure to check with a medical professional to see if your toddler is having any physical (ie. hearing loss, loss of stimulation, something going on with their mouth, tongue and/or palate) or mental challenges (ie. neurological, autism spectrum, intellectual, etc).
Generally speaking, signs that you want to look out for by:
- 12 months – isn’t using gestures (ie. pointing or waiving hello or goodbye)
- 18 months – prefer to use gestures to communicate instead of speaking, has trouble imitating sounds and/or has trouble understanding instructions that are given verbally
- 24 months – doesn’t follow simple directions, will mostly imitate things that you say or do instead saying things on their own, and/or may have an unusual tone of voice
Verify your resources. There are groups & programs available that are for toddlers dealing with a speech delay. You may or may not qualify for programs but at least check to see what your options are. The first place to check would be with your county, city and/or a medical professional.
Here in Florida there’s a program called Early Steps. Contact your state’s health department and or county for programs that are offered. If for whatever reason you don’t qualify, look into private medical offices. Also, check with your insurance company to see if they will cover speech therapy. If not, reach out to medical offices directly and ask what the cost is.
I was a little surprised when I discovered most of the offices required a consultation fee upfront (between $250-$350) and then a fee per visit. Since every office is different make sure that you actually check. I highly recommend asking other moms about offices they have taken their toddlers to.
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Tips to Help your Toddler's Speech Delay
Do your part. . . Get involved. It’s extremely important to do what you can to help your toddler. That could mean a combination of reading to them every night, doing activities, etc.
- Focus on communicating with your toddler. This could mean talking (while using actual words), gestures, singing, etc.
- When talking to a toddler with a speech delay be sure to speak clearly and slowly
- When asking questions . . . give options (ie. Instead of saying, “Do you want something to drink? You could say, “Would like juice or milk?)
- Reading to your toddler regularly
- Teach your toddler some sign language. Enough to communicate the basics is good but of course the more the better for them
- You can get in the habit of labeling everything
- Repetition and constancy is key!
Are you not sure that it's a speech delay and somewhat concerned about your toddler's development? The earlier you start working on your toddler's speech, the better it will be for the both of you.
Have fun. Want to get your child excited about learning new things and have fun while doing so? . . . Try fun activities that they actually enjoy. Fun activities will help motivate those who need it most – especially when there isn’t always enough time for everything we want to do as parents.
Connect with other moms. Communicating with other moms that can relate is help in it self. A great way to do this is to join local groups and social media (ie. FB groups, forums, etc). There are so many available. Do a search and see which ones are a good fit for you.
Be patient. Every child is different so try not to compare your child to the next. Let your toddler go at their pace however implement these tips to help give them a little help. Try not to get discouraged. . . You’re doing an amazing job, mama!
The Takeaway
When you first start feeling your little one is experiencing a delay, I highly recommend you act on it right away. Depending on your child and your situation, you can start small and then go from there. Just remember that kids develop at different stages but the more you do, the more it will help them.
Drop a comment below and let me know your thoughts.
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