Parenthood is an exciting journey, but can be overwhelming at times! With each new month, new skills and questions are unlocked. When you head to your child’s 1 year well visit, the pediatrician will ask how many words your child has. You may wonder… what exactly counts as a word? This is crucial information to know as you monitor your child’s expressive language development. Many assume that a toddler has to say a word verbally and in its complete form to count, but that’s not the case!
First off, in order for any message to count as a word, a toddler has to use that word consistently, intentionally, and independently:
- Consistently, meaning they use the word regularly. This means if your child used the word once, it does not count!
- Intentionally, meaning they use the word in the correct context to communicate something.
- Independently, meaning they use the word on their own and do not need any assistance in order to say it.
Word approximations, exclamatory words, sound effects, animal sounds, sign language, and true words all count as words. This is because your child is producing a sound(s) or sign consistently to indicate a specific meaning.
Word Approximations
Word approximations are simplified versions of words. This occurs when a child says part of the full word. When babies first learn to talk, we do not expect them to say words exactly like an adult. This is common and a part of normal speech development.
Examples of word approximations: “ba” for “ball”, “muh” for “more”, “baba” for “bottle”
Exclamatory Words
Exclamatory words are considered social words.
Example of exclamatory words: “woah!”, “yay!”, and “wee!”.
Sound Effects
These carry meaning and count as words.
Examples of sound effects: “wee ooo wee ooo”, “beep beep”
Animal sounds
These are fun and easy sounds for your child to use and count as words.
Examples of animal sounds: “woof!”, “quack quack!”, “moo!”
Sign Language
Signs from American Sign Language (ASL) absolutely count as a word! While it is not verbal speech, these signs carry meaning and communicate language. If your child is using a sign to communicate a want or need, this counts towards their word count total.
Examples of sign language: “more” (bringing fingers together to touch), “all done” (facing palms out and shaking).
True Words
This is when words are produced clearly and correctly (with age-appropriate speech sound errors!). These words can include objects, names (family members, characters), actions, prepositions, and more.
Example of true words: mama/dada, sibling or pet’s names, baby, eat, milk, no, up, in, more
How can I keep track of my child’s language development?
Unsure of how many words your child has? Write them down! We recommend putting a post-it note on the fridge. When you hear a new word or observe a new sign, write it on the post-it note.
What if my child is learning two languages?
Any words or word approximations in each language counts towards their total word count- as long as they are using them consistently, intentionally, and independently!
Do you have concerns with your child’s expressive language development? Contact us! Our team of experienced pediatric speech-language pathologists is here to support you and your child’s needs.
Northern Virginia
Phone: 703-470-6957
Email: info@owlstherapy.com
Philadelphia’s Main Line
Phone: 610-579-0914
Email: philadelphia@owlstherapy.com