Speech Development Milestones 18-36 Months

Speech Development Milestones 18-36 Months

Toddler speech development:  Your child uses speech and language that will continue to surprise you everyday.

At this age your child has learned so many of words and phrases from you……now they will say more.

Of all the stages of speech development this one is my favorite. Notice that some of them can happen after 30 months too.

Speech and language development growth charts can help you track your child’s progress and make sure they are meeting every milestone. 

18 MONTHS (1.5 Years) 

Speech

    • Same consonants used in early babbling

    • Most words have just a consonant + vowel = ba, da, ma, go, boo

    • Words selected or avoided based on favorite sounds

    • Echolalia begins, disappears by 30 months (when child repeats all or part of what someone says)

    • Jargon peaks at 18 months; when child tries to talk as fast as parents and it comes out as jibber-jabber.

Feeding

    • Eats more chewable food

    • Rotary chewing develops

    • Gets food/non-food objects on own because they can walk 

24 MONTHS (2 Years)

Speech

    • Says ALL VOWELS (24-30 months)

    • 50% intelligible = non-parent understands half of what the child says

    • 14 different consonants in 10 minutes

    • Consonant sounds are said in the correct spots in words 70% of the time

    • Jargon  (when child tries to talk as fast as parents and it comes out as jibber-jabber)  is replaced by meaningful phrases

    • Sentences begin as simple declarations or descriptions of events. Child can’t tell a story/narrative yet (24-36 months)

    • Words now contain consonant + vowel + consonant – Examples: “dog” instead of “da”, “ball” instead of “ba”

    • 2-syllable words emerge – Example: “toothbrush” instead of just “brush”

Feeding

    • Can totally self-feed

    • Eats tougher solids

    • Mature (adult-like) chewing

    • Uses fork and open cup (non-sippy)

By 30 months you should be able to understand close to 80% of what your child says.  Many of their sounds are coming but they have some room for growth. At this age, it is important that you don’t correct them a lot……about 1 time for every 3 times they say a sound incorrect.

An example at this age……the word “Breakfast”, usually pronounced  “break-dast”.  Children may not  have their /f/’s at this age.   So, model it once or twice.  But that’s it.  If you correct your child too much at this age…..you can make talking a negative experience. 

30 MONTHS (2.5 Years)

Speech

    • Says ALL VOWELS (24 -30 months)

    • Says 18 different consonants in 10 minutes

    • Echolalia is gone (when child repeats all or part of what someone says)

    • Jargon is gone (when child tries to talk as fast as parents and it comes out as jibber-jabber that is very expressive but not understandable)

Feeding

    • Eats independently 

36 MONTHS (3 Years)

Speech

    • Says these sounds: h, w, m, n, b, p, f

    • Standardized articulation testing can now be done if needed

    • 75% intelligible = non-parent can understand 3/4 of what is said

    • Echolalia and Jargon are gone (child no longer repeats what others say and they do not jibber jabber that is not understandable)

    • Use of the following phonological processes is less common: Reduplication, Syllable Deletion, Assimilation, and Final Consonant Deletion

    • Use of the following phonological processes can continue:  Stopping, Fronting, Cluster Reduction and Liquid Simplification

 
Sound Hearing Audiology and Speech – Dr. Robin Zeller, Ph.D.
50 Hazelwood Drive, Jericho NY 11753
516-932-7577
Audiologist, Speech Language Pathologist, Speech Therapy, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss Treatments for Adults and Children