LATE TALKERS
Has your child achieved these milestones?
Babbling from the age of 6 months?​
​
First words around the age of 12 months?​
​
Using at least 20 words by age 18 months?​
​
Using at least 100 words and combining two words together by the age of 24 months?​
If your child is not meeting these milestones, they may be considered a late talker.
A “Late Talker” is a toddler (between 18-30 months) who has a limited spoken vocabulary for their age.
Some late talkers do ‘grow out of it’, but some do not. There are additional risk factors which suggest a child is more likely to have continuing language difficulties. These include:
​
reduced babbling, quiet as an infant
history of ear infections
limited pretend play
does not copy words
difficulty playing and/or interacting with others
using few gestures
difficulty understanding others
a family history of language delay or other communication difficulties
​
Sleep quality and quantity also plays an essential role in brain development and supports memory, learning and attention. Sufficient sleep provides the foundation for toddlers to effectively learn, process and retain new language skills.
If a toddler has a limited vocabulary for his/her age and any of the above risk factors, then speech pathology intervention is recommended. Early intervention, specifically parent-implemented intervention (parent training), can make a big difference in improving a child’s language skills.