Child Language & Developmental Speech (CLADS)

An important part of helping young children who may need speech therapy is early intervention. To achieve early intervention with speech therapy it is vital to know the speech and language developmental milestones. While all children develop at a different pace, knowing what the “normal” developmental range allows you to assess your child’s needs in relation to speech and language. We are often asked about what a two-year-old should be able to say. Two-year-olds are especially tricky as you may come across other two-year-olds who may be easier to understand or talk more. Don’t compare your child to the kids at the park, use the information below to discover if a speech-language assessment could benefit your child.

Speech and Language Milestones for Two-Year-Olds

• A 2 to 3-year-old should understand the differences in meanings: “big vs. little”
• Follow two-step instructions. “Get your cup and set it on the table.”
• Listen to and begin enjoying stories for longer periods of time.
• Be able to point to things when they are named.
• Know familiar people and body parts.
• A two to three-year-old should have a word for almost everything.
• They should be able to use 2-4 words to talk about and ask for things.
• Speech should be understood by those closest to the child, most of the time.
• The child should ask for things by name.
• Should be asking “why?” (Maybe more than you’d like in some cases.)
• May stutter on some words or sounds.
• Uses k, g, f, t, d, and n sounds.

If you are not sure if your two-year-old fits well into this range, please give us a call at your convenience. We are happy to help guide you in the right direction or schedule a speech-language assessment to determine if speech therapy would be beneficial for your child. Call today, 704-845-0561 we look forward to hearing from you.