5 Signs Your 18-Month-Old May Benefit from a Speech Evaluation
If you’re wondering whether your 18-month-old might benefit from a speech and language evaluation, you don’t have to wait until they’re significantly behind to ask for support.
Development varies from child to child, and one sign by itself doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem. But there are certain things I pay attention to as a pediatric speech-language pathologist (and mom of 5!).
Here are 5 reasons I’d consider getting an evaluation:
1. They aren’t consistently using 20+ words
By 18 months, we want to see a child building a vocabulary of words they use intentionally and consistently.
And remember: words don’t have to sound perfect to count! “Ba” for ball, “wa-wa” for water, animal sounds, signs, and other consistent word approximations can all be meaningful communication.
If your child has very few words or isn’t beginning to add new words to their vocabulary, an evaluation can help you better understand their communication development and how to support it.
2. They aren’t pointing or using many gestures
Communication starts long before spoken words.
Pointing to something they want, showing you something interesting, waving, reaching, shaking their head “no,” or lifting their arms to be picked up are all examples of early communication.
If your 18-month-old isn’t using gestures to communicate with you, that’s something I’d want to take a closer look at.
3. They’ve stopped saying words they used to say
If your child was previously using words or communicating in ways that you’re no longer seeing, it’s worth discussing with their pediatrician and seeking an evaluation.
Any noticeable loss of previously acquired communication skills is something we want to pay attention to rather than simply waiting to see if those skills come back.
4. They aren’t consistently responding to their name or following simple directions
At this age, we’re looking at understanding language, too...not just how many words a child can say.
For example, does your child understand familiar phrases like “Come here,” “Give it to me,” or “Get your shoes”? Do they respond when you call their name?
There can be many reasons a child may not respond or follow a direction in a particular moment, so we never want to judge their language abilities based on compliance alone. But if you’re consistently noticing that your child seems to have difficulty understanding language or responding to communication, an evaluation can give you more information.
5. Your gut is telling you to get an evaluation
You know your child better than anyone else. If something about their communication development has you wondering, you do not need to wait until you’re certain there’s a delay to ask for an evaluation.
An evaluation isn’t a commitment to therapy. It’s an opportunity to learn more about your child’s development, identify their strengths, and determine whether there are areas where additional support could be helpful.
And if the evaluation shows that everything is developing as expected? Great. You have more information and some peace of mind.
You Don’t Have to “Wait and See”
One of the biggest misconceptions about early speech and language development is that families should simply wait until a child is older to see what happens.
You can support development and respect a child’s individual developmental trajectory.
If you have concerns about your 18-month-old’s communication, asking for an evaluation doesn’t mean you’re labeling them or assuming something is wrong. It means you’re getting more information about how your child communicates, and what might help them continue to grow.
Interested in an evaluation?
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