- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus member of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to health information content on primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
He's a Fort Worth, Texas, native, certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
Infant and toddler health (6)
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- Vaccination schedule: Why so many so fast?
- Flu shots for kids: Does my child need a flu shot?
- see all in Infant and toddler health
Newborn health (8)
- Baby poop: What's normal?
- Uncircumcised penis: Is special care needed?
- Induced lactation: Can I breast-feed my adopted baby?
- see all in Newborn health
Infant health (20)
- Baby sling: Is it safe?
- Breast-feeding and alcohol: Is it OK to drink?
- Baby fat: When is it cause for concern?
- see all in Infant health
Toddler health (4)
- Terrible twos: Why are 2-year-olds so difficult?
- Toddler speech development: Are 2-year-olds understandable?
- Poinsettia plants: Are they poisonous?
- see all in Toddler health
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Question
Toddler speech development: Are 2-year-olds understandable?
My 2-year-old uses sounds more than words. Should I be concerned that I can't understand anything he says?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
If you're unable to understand any of your 2-year-old's words, a prompt evaluation with his or her doctor would be warranted.
Although every child grows and develops at his or her own pace, toddler speech development tends to follow a fairly predictable path. For example, the average 2-year-old:
- Speaks about 50 words, but understands even more
- Links two words together
- Uses simple adjectives, such as "big" and "happy"
- Speaks clearly enough for parents to understand some of the words
The average 3-year-old:
- Speaks 250 to 500 or more words
- Speaks in three- and four-word sentences
- Uses pronouns (I, you, we, they) and some plurals
- States first name
By age 4, most kids speak clearly enough for strangers to understand.
The doctor will likely consider possible underlying reasons for the speech delay, from hearing problems to developmental disorders. If necessary, the doctor may refer you to a speech-language pathologist. Treatment options for toddler speech development depend on what's causing the speech delay.
In the meantime, encourage toddler speech development. Read to your child. Talk to your child. Sing songs together. Ask your child questions, and acknowledge your child's responses — even if he or she is hard to understand.
Next questionPoinsettia plants: Are they poisonous?
- McDade HL, et al. Language and speech assessment. In: McInerny TK, et al. American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care. Elk Grove Village, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2009:354.
- Grover G. Normal development and developmental surveillance, screening, and evaluation. In: Berkowitz CD. Berkowitz's Pediatrics: A Primary Care Approach. 3rd ed. Washington, D.C.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2008:87.
- Speech and language. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/speechandlanguage.asp. Accessed Sept. 21, 2010.
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