My toddler has struggled with communicating since he first said a word. He has been in speech therapy for about 4 months and while his communication has improved, it still is a struggle to understand some requests.
My son tends to leave off the beginning consonant sound to most words. He knows how to say hundreds if not thousands of words, but he can’t say the full word yet for most of them. So I frequently struggle with not understanding what my son is trying to say. Sometimes when I don’t understand my son he gets quite frustrated. He really wants to communicate, he just hasn’t quite learned how yet.
Related: Signs My Son Was Tongue Tied That Were Missed
Look At Your Toddler
Look at your toddler’s face and see how their facial expressions are communicating to you. Are they angry, happy, sad? Could they just be sharing how they’re feeling? Looking at your child in the face is also beneficial for them to feel as though you are listening and that you really care.
Look At Context
Most of the time I can’t understand my son without context around it. I look at what he’s pointing to or what I see around him. I think, is he hungry and possibly trying to tell me which food he wants to eat? Have you been having a conversation and not really giving your child much attention? Is there something really cool they want to show you or tell you about? Think through all the needs your child may have and what isn’t being met.
Think Through All The Possibilities
If you can’t understand your toddler, think about all the possible things they could want, food, water, toys, attention. Did they once look at you like this right before they went to the bathroom?
Ask Lots Of Questions
To make sure you understand them, ask them lots of questions and make sure you give them a chance to answer. By asking questions you are giving them words that can help them to use those words in the future. If your child is trying to communicate and you just stare at them blankly, they aren’t given the opportunity to learn which words to say.
Repeat What You Heard
Repeating your child’s words can not only help you understand what they are saying, but it can also help your toddler to hear what they are saying. When you repeat your child’s words back to them, even if you don’t understand them, it can help you to see how their mouth is forming the words they are trying to say. Sometimes just this action can help.
Validate Their Words
If they say something but you don’t want to let them have it or do it then repeat what they say and let them know that it’s not happening right now or that they can’t have that right now. Make sure to not coddle them over this, but clearly state what is or is not happening. Responding to your child when you understand them will help them know that their words matter. Do not ignore them when they do this because it can discourage their speech.
Offer Another Option
If you can’t understand your child, offering options can be helpful for giving them something to say yes to or to repeat your words.
