Speech and Language Delays in Young Children.

HowCan I Tell If My Child Has a Speech or Language Delay? While every child develops in his or her own unique way, there are speechand languagemilestones thatmost childrenwill reachat certain ages. Your pediatrician will talk with you about these milestonesduringwell-child checkups.Examplesof thesemilestones for speech and language are: • By 1 year of age, most babies will: • Wave goodbye. • Say “dada” and “mama.” • Between 1 and 2 years of age, most toddlers will: • Name a few common objects and pictures when asked. • Point to a few body parts when asked. • By 2 years of age, most toddlers will: • Say several 2-word phrases, such as “all gone” or “Mommy go.” • Beable to followa 1-step command, suchas “put your cupon the table.” If your child is delayed in several areas, this may be a sign of speech or language delay. Sometimes a related concern will be that children will show behavior problems, such as temper tantrums, because they are frustrated when they cannot express what they need or want. If your pediatrician suspects there may be a speech or language delay, your pediatrician may ask additional questions, order a hearing test, or refer your child for additional evaluation.