Speech and Language Development & How to deal with Tantrums

16 Oct, 2012

Once a month our Pediatrician answers your questions. If you have something you’d like to ask the doc, simply leave the question on this post or send an e-mail to Leslie at leslie@herviewfromhome.com

Written By: Dr. Psota @ Kearney Clinic

1. What is normal speech for a 2 yr. old?
Speech actually begins by 2-4 months of age. We now make sure every newborn has passed a hearing screen before they are dismissed from the hospital after birth. Speech is dependent upon the child being able to hear normally.

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE

2-4 months: coos
4 months: squeals
6 months: babbles
9 months: mama/dada nonspecifically, polysyllabic babbling
9-12 months: first words: mama/dada specifically
15 months: understands 1-step commands
18 months: uses greater than 5 words; follows a simple command; can identify 4 body parts
13-18 months: vocabulary of 10 to 50 words
18-24 months: 2-word sentences
24 months: 100 to 200 words in vocabulary; speech is 50% understood; uses personal pronouns, identifies 6 body parts
30 months: understands prepositions
36 months: speaks in 3-4 word sentences; speech is 75% understandable; uses plurals; knows hundreds of words; identifies 2 colors; what/who questions
48 months: speech is 100% understood; uses past/present tense; identifies gender; speaks in paragraphs; identifies 5-6 colors; and uses “Why” questions
6 years: operational thinking

2. What to do when temper tantrums occur:

Temper tantrums are a normal part of your child’s development as he learns self-control. Almost all children have tantrums between ages 1 and 3; you’ve heard them called “the terrible twos.” The good news is that by age 4, temper tantrums usually stop.

Here are some suggestions when they occur:

1. Distract your child by calling his attention to something else, such as a new activity, book, or toy. Sometimes just touching or stroking a child will calm him. You may need to gently restrain or hold your child. Humor or something as simple as a funny face can also help.

2. Try to remain calm; if you shout or become angry, it will likely make things worse. The more attention you give to this behavior, the more likely it is to happen again.

3. Minor displays of anger such as crying, screaming, or kicking can usually be ignored. Stand nearby or hold your child without talking until he calms down. This shows your support. If you can’t stay calm, leave the room.

4. Some temper tantrums cannot be ignored. The following behaviors should not be ignored and are NOT acceptable:
               -hitting or kicking parents or others
               -throwing things in a dangerous way
               -prolonged screaming or yelling

Use a cooling-off period or a “time-out” to remove your child from the source of his anger. For children old enough to understand, a good rule for time outs is 1 minute for every year of your child’s age. But even 15 seconds will work. If you cannot stay calm, leave the room. Wait a minute or two, or until his crying stops, before returning. Then help him get interested in something else. If your child is old enough, talk about what happened and ways to deal with it next time.

You should never punish your child for temper tantrums. It is unhealthy for your child to keep his anger or frustrations inside. As your child grows, he will learn to deal with his strong emotions. Do not reward your child for stopping a tantrum. It is normal for children to test their parent’s rules and limits. When tantrums do not accomplish anything for your child, they are less likely to continue. Be consistent and avoid sending mixed messages, by responding the same way each time a rule is broken. Remember to be sure you are having some fun each day with your child.

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