- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus consultant in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to MayoClinic.com in general and primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
Dr. Hoecker, a Fort Worth, Texas, native, is certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and is 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."
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- Infant swimming: Do indoor pools pose an asthma risk?
- see all in Infant health
Toddler health (6)
- Discolored baby teeth: A cause for concern?
- Temper tantrums: What's normal, what's not?
- Toddler speech development: When should a parent be concerned?
- see all in Toddler health
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Question
Toddler speech development: When should a parent be concerned?
My 2-year-old is very hard to understand. He uses sounds more than words — and when he uses words, we can't understand most of them. Should we be concerned about his speech?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Every child grows and develops at his or her own pace. Still, toddler speech development tends to follow a fairly predictable path.
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 about half the words
The average 3-year-old:
- Identifies most common objects
- Says his or her first name and age
- Uses pronouns (I, you, we, they) and some plurals
- Answers simple questions
By age 4, most kids speak clearly enough for strangers to understand.
Since you're unable to understand most of your 2-year-old's words, a prompt evaluation with his doctor would be warranted. 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.
Next questionToddler behavior: How can I encourage listening and cooperation?
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 1, 2008.
- Important milestones: By the end of 2 years (24 months). National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/milestones_2years.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Speech and language developmental milestones. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/speechandlanguage.asp. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Developmental milestones by the end of 3 years. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ64NJ4FDC&sub_cat=105. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
- Important milestones: By the end of 3 years (36 months). National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/milestones_3years.html. Accessed Sept. 25, 2008.
