Toddlers Development

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• QWhat are ways to help a toddler develop?

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  A RealAge answered

  The following tips can help with your toddler's development:

  • Kids learn more from nonverbal signals than actual words. How you say something is just as important as what you say.
  • Finger paints may make a mess in the house, but art is good for the brain. Let the creative juices flow, even if you need to go to the garage to do so.
  • Get your child into the habit of washing his hands before eating, after playing outside and after using the bathroom (when he learns how). You don't want to be an over-the-top clean freak (some docs believe that makes kids more prone to allergies), but hand washing does help reduce the spread of germs.
  • Show him the fountain, the park bench, the bird, this and that, and on and on. Talk to your child. Teach him words by showing him the world.
  • Practice telling your child exactly what she did well ("Good jumping!") rather than giving general praise ("You're the best!"). Children learn and develop more if you honor their strengths rather than pump them with accolades they know you're saying just because you're the parent.
  • Don't leave home without your child's favorite blankie—and have an identical spare at home!
  • Ideal daily menu for a toddler: 100 percent whole-grain high-protein cereal, whole fruit and milk for breakfast; fruit or 100 percent whole-grain crackers (maybe with some cheese, or peanut or nut butter for protein), and water for snack; half a sandwich, applesauce and milk for lunch; yogurt for snack; protein, starch, colored veggie, fruit and water for dinner. You can also offer some milk before bedtime. (Don't forget to brush!)
  • If you can expose your child to two (or more) languages, do it. The brain structure of children who learn a second language after infancy but before age 5 shows more neural growth. Mamma mia!
  • Get out the pots and pans and let Junior play the kitchen band!
  • Talk, talk, talk to your child.
  • You should be comfortable choosing to "agree to disagree" with your pediatrician. But in some cases, choosing a different doc—one whose principles align more closely with yours—may be in order.
• QWhat are some developmental milestones for toddlers?

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  A Alliance For Kids® answered

  Developmental milestones for toddlers include the following:

  • seeks independence
  • develops language skills
  • learns new skills like walking and toilet training
  • uses mobility is a means to learning
  • threatened by changes in routine

  This content originally appeared on the Alliance for Kids website.
• QHow can I help improve my child's language development?

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  A Intermountain Registered Dietitians , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  Talking to your child is one of the most important ways to stimulate her language development. Try to use these ideas throughout your daily routine (bathing, mealtime, playtime, washing, etc.).

  • Tune in and talk slowly: Tune in to your child's play, conversation, and thoughts. Listen to what your child says, look at her, and let her talk. Often our rate of speech is too fast for a young child to follow easily, so slow down.
  • Make talking fun and meaningful: Praise your child for new words used, complete sentences, etc.
  • Look at your child and meet your child's same eye level: Your talk will be most helpful if your child can see your face, particularly your mouth, while you speak. By meeting your child's same eye level by sitting or kneeling, you send a message that she is important, and this can enhance her self-esteem.
  • Talk about the here and now: Talk about things as they are taking place or just after they happen, getting your child involved whenever possible.
  • Talk about what the two of you are doing: Using short sentences, assume the role of commentator for your child and yourself.
  • Repeat words and phrases often: Pleasant repetition of the same word gives your child many chances to listen, understand, and imitate.
  • Simplify the environment: This way you make your voice the center of attention. Turn off the television, radio, and stereo.
  • Clarify the meaning of your child's speech when it is unclear: This provides a correct model of speech so your child has a chance to listen to and imitate the words.
  • Give feedback and expand: Repeat what your child says, correcting incorrect sounds and words or adding new information.
  • Use self-talk: Talk about what you're doing. Describe each action and object.
  • Use parallel talk: This is the same thing as self-talk except you describe and talk about what your child is doing.
  • Name and point: Name things for your child. Don't be afraid to point out new words not yet in your child's vocabulary.
  • Fill-in-the-blank: Start a sentence and let your child finish.
  • Make mistakes: Make obvious mistakes in your language that your child may notice, such as in logic or storytelling. This does not include grammatical mistakes. Pause and wait for a response. It will usually come!
  • Praise, praise, praise: Make your child feel special. This also means you should be careful not to say anything negative about your child when she is present. Be positive and supportive.

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• QHow does language develop in a 4-year-old?

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  A Intermountain Registered Dietitians , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  Language development in a 4-year-old includes:
  
  Receptive language skills (what a child understands)

  • identifies basic colors
  • understands basic prepositions such as on, in, under, beside
  • demonstrates interest in "why" and "how" questions
  • knows the names of familiar animals
  • understands contrasts such as longer, larger
  • easily follows simple (one-step) commands

  Expressive language skills (what a child says)

  • expresses complex ideas in short sentences
  • counts to 10
  • uses up to 1,500 words
  • begins using past tense correctly
  • repeats words, phrases, syllables, and even sounds
  • names common objects in picture books or magazines
• QHow does language develop between 19 and 24 months of age?

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  A Intermountain Registered Dietitians , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  Language development from 19 to 24 months of age includes:
  
  Receptive language skills (what a child understands)

  • identifies up to five body parts
  • identifies common objects and pictures when named
  • recognizes new words daily
  • understands some complex sentences

  Expressive language skills (what a child says)

  • speaks up to 50 words
  • begins using two-word sentences
  • begins using pronouns
  • refers to self by name
  • begins talking about things she is interested in -- things that move, do something, or things she can do something with
• QHow do I teach my toddler about sex?

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  A Good In Bed answered

  As your child becomes a toddler, situations may present themselves that can lead to "teachable moments," or you might want to bring up various topics if your child isn't inquiring. Common themes to discuss during these ages include: explaining the difference between "good" touch and "bad" touch, using proper names for all body parts including the genitals, explaining how babies are made, explaining the differences between girls and boys, and a whole lot more.
• QShould I encourage a child's independent behavior?

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  A Discovery Health answered

  Learn why babies feel the need to exert their independence in this video from Discovery Health.
• QHow can I help my toddler learn?

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  A RealAge answered

  Experts agree that a huge amount of your child’s cognitive development occurs before the age of three, long before he even enters school. The neurological connections made during the first three years affect how children organize and coordinate information, how they reason, and how they come to solve problems. That means your child’s experiences in the first few years of life are crucial to his future success in school and in life. So, you really are your child’s first and most important teacher!
  
  The more interactive and language-rich you can make your child’s preschool environment, the better. By consistently asking questions, explaining answers, and engaging in conversation, you provide the stimulation your child needs. Children who are continually stimulated by language tend to score higher on intellectual and language tests. Formal schooling then builds on the foundation that you and the other caregivers in your child’s life help form in early childhood.
  
  From Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children by Jennifer Trachtenberg.

• QHow does language develop between 13 and 18 months of age?

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  A Intermountain Registered Dietitians , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare

  Language development from 13 to 18 months of age includes:
  
  Receptive language skills (what child understands)

  • Identifies one body part
  • Comprehends simple questions
  • Understands meaning of many nouns (person, place or thing)

  Expressive language skills (what child says)

  • Communicates with true words and gestures
  • Repeats words overheard in conversation
  • Watches others to see if they understand
  • Has a vocabulary of 5-20 words
• QWhat does walking normally look like in toddlers?

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  A Dr. Dina M. Gottesman, MD , Pediatrics, answered on behalf of StoneSprings Hospital Center

  Learning to walk takes a lot of practice -- and that practice can go on for a long time.  Most children take their first steps around their first birthday. However, the normal range for reaching this milestone is up to 18 months.  Kids who are learning to walk are called "toddlers" because that's exactly what they do -- they “toddle.” They keep their legs wide apart and seem to hesitate between each step, jerking from side to side as they move one foot forward, and then the next. 
   
  Soon after your toddler takes her first steps, she'll learn to stoop down, and then stand back up again. If your child is an early walker, she probably loves toys that she can push or pull as she toddles. 
   
  About 6 months after taking their first steps, toddlers develop a more mature gait (or walk), and hold their hands at their sides (rather than out in front for balance). They move with their feet closer together. They move their feet, heel to toe, in a way that looks more like walking and less like waddling.
   
  This answer was created with the help of physicians at South Riding Pediatrics (www.SouthRidingPediatrics.com) and www.HealthyChildren.org

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