How Toddlers Communicate
Most kids say their first words around the time of their first birthday. A toddler who is preoccupied with learning to walk may push
talking to the back burner; it’s not unusual and is nothing to be alarmed about. Kids this age might have learned fragments of dozens of words that may not be recognizable. They may echo what they hear or mix a few words with jargon (babbling with sentence-like intonations). When they get around to talking, though, they’ll probably progress quickly and soon be able to point at something familiar and say its name, and recognize names of familiar people, objects, and body parts. By 2 years old, most toddlers will say 50 words or more, use phrases, and be able to put together two- to three-word sentences. No matter when they say their first words, it’s a sure bet they are already understanding much of what is said to them before that. Your child should be able to respond to simple commands (“Roll the ball to Mommy”) and should be fully aware of the names of familiar objects and family members.