Know the Signs of Speech Delay in a 2-Year-Old

Signs of speech delay in a 2-year-old can include using fewer than 50 words, not putting two words together, having trouble understanding simple directions, or being hard for family members to understand. By 24 months, speech milestones include using and understanding at least 50 words and combining two or more words (like "more milk"). If you're concerned about your child's communication, you're not alone: In a 2023 ASHA survey, 41% of speech therapists said speech or language concerns in young children often go unrecognized by caregivers for 1 to 2 years. In this guide, you’ll learn the signs of speech delay to watch for, how to support your toddler’s communication, and when to seek a speech-language evaluation.

Key takeaways

• By 24 months, children typically use and understand at least 50 words and put two or more words together. Not meeting these milestones can be a sign of a speech or language delay.

• Other signs may include difficulty following simple directions, answering basic questions, pointing or gesturing to communicate, or being understood by family members.

• Every child develops differently, but you don't have to wait before seeking help. A speech-language evaluation can help clarify your child's communication skills and needs.

• Parents and caregivers can help their toddler through everyday activities like talking, playing, reading, and creating chances for their child to communicate.

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Signs of speech delay in a 2-year-old  

The signs of speech delay in a 2-year-old include not using two-word phrases, having a limited vocabulary, or being hard for family members to understand. Other signs can include trouble following simple directions, answering basic questions, or using words to communicate instead of gestures or sounds. Frequent frustration when communicating can also be a sign. If you notice these signs, talk with your child's pediatrician or a speech therapist about whether an evaluation could help.

Here are the specific signs to watch for in a 2-year-old:

• Not using two-word phrases by age 24 months (such as "My turn!" or "More swing!")

• Using fewer than 50 words by 24 months

• Unable to answer basic questions (such as "What's that?" or "Where are your shoes?")

• Unable to have short, back-and-forth conversations

• Frequent frustration when trying to communicate

• Using gestures or sounds more than words when trying to say something

• Not following simple one-step directions like "Give me the ball" or "Come here"

• Not pointing to familiar objects, pictures, or body parts when you name them

• Speech that family understands less than half the time. By 24 months, close family should understand about half of what your child says.

Typical vs. delayed speech from 18 months to 3 years

Use this table as a quick reference for how speech and language skills typically develop from 18 months to 3 years. Every child develops at their own pace, so missing one milestone doesn't always mean your child has a speech delay. However, if you're concerned about your child's communication skills, a speech-language pathologist (also known as a speech therapist) can help determine whether speech therapy is needed.

How do you know if your 2-year-old needs speech therapy?

If you think your toddler might have a speech delay, it's a good idea to find a speech therapist for an evaluation.

Talk with a speech therapist if your 2-year-old has any of the speech delay signs in this article, or if you just have a gut feeling that something isn't quite right. Speech therapists are trained to identify early signs of speech delays and can help you understand what your child needs. 

Month-by-month red flags: When to schedule an evaluation

Children younger than 2 can benefit from speech therapy, too. Consider scheduling a speech evaluation if your toddler is missing important communication milestones for their age, such as:

• 18 months: Uses few or no spoken words, doesn't point to show you things, doesn't respond to their name, or isn't using sounds such as "mama" or "bababa."

• 20 months: Uses very few words, isn't trying to imitate simple words, or has trouble following a simple one-step direction such as "Give me the cup."

• 22 months: Isn't trying to combine two words, or often gets frustrated when trying to communicate.

• 24 months: Isn't using two-word phrases, such as "more milk" or "my turn"; family members understand less than half of what they say; or they aren't pointing to familiar objects or body parts when you name them.

• Any time between 18 and 24 months: Your child loses words or communication skills they had before. A loss of skills is a reason to seek an evaluation right away.

These milestones are helpful guidelines, not a diagnosis. If you're concerned about your child's speech or language development, you don't need to wait for them to reach a certain age or miss several milestones before asking for help. An evaluation can help you understand how your child's communication skills are developing and whether speech therapy or other support may be helpful.

“You don't necessarily need a pediatrician referral to schedule a speech evaluation,” says Alexis Irazoque, M.S., L/SLP, a speech therapist at Expressable. “Depending on where you live, your child may qualify for a free evaluation through early intervention before their third birthday. Or you can seek an evaluation from a private speech-language pathologist.”

What if my child is closer to 3 years old?

If your child is 30-36 months old and you're seeing signs of a speech or language delay, it's still a good time to seek an evaluation. By age 3, children typically use three- to four-word sentences and can be understood by unfamiliar listeners much of the time.

For specific milestones, signs of delay, and next steps for 3-year-olds, see our full guide on the signs of speech delay in a 3-year-old.

“One of the most common things I hear from parents is, ‘I wasn't sure if I should be concerned.’ If you have questions about your child's communication, an evaluation can give you a clearer picture of their strengths and whether they need support," Irazoque says. "And if their skills are developing as expected, you'll have that reassurance, too.”

Can a child with a speech delay “catch up?”

“Many 2-year-olds with speech delays do catch up—especially those who start speech therapy early,” Irazoque emphasizes. But there's no reliable way to tell which "late talkers" will catch up on their own. That's why an evaluation is the safer path.

For a full breakdown of catch-up rates and what parents can do to help, see our guide on whether a child with a speech delay can catch up on their own.

How can you help your 2-year-old learn to talk?

There are so many ways you can help your child learn to talk. Our speech therapists recommend these four techniques to try at home: 

1 Interact and talk with your child often

If your child seems to be a late talker, think about times in your day when you can engage and talk with them even more. Even if they aren’t speaking yet, speak to them! Give them chances to join in a conversation with you. 

Let’s take the example of getting your toddler ready for the day. Start by narrating what you’re doing, providing natural language modeling. You can say something like, “Let’s get your shoes. Can you sit down? Great job! Where do your shoes go?” Your child may point to their feet. You can say, “Yes, you’re right, they go on your feet!” 

Does your child tend to watch a lot of TV or spend a lot of time on the iPad? Swapping some of that screentime with fun play activities, or going to the park or playing outside, will give your child more chances to talk. When a child is looking at a screen, they don’t have to communicate. But when they’re playing and interacting with you, they have many more opportunities to learn and use new words and phrases. 

2 Play together often

Similar to the point above, we want to emphasize just how vital playing is for young children. Did you know that play helps teach children how to communicate? Play "tasks," like rolling a ball back and forth, or building a tower and watching your friend’s reaction when it falls, involve two people. One person does something, and the other responds. Just like in communication! This is one reason why it’s so important for kids to have plenty of playtime. 

Did you know there are even stages of play development? Helping your child through these stages can set them up for doing more complex tasks and interacting with other kids as they get older.

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3 Read books with your toddler

If your toddler has a speech delay, reading books together is one of the best things you can do for them. Reading naturally exposes children to more words and sentences, and it helps them understand how stories are formed. 

One study revealed that when parents read just one book a day to their child, by the time that child enters kindergarten, they’ve heard a total of 1.4 million more words than children who aren’t read to. How incredible is that? 

Find books that your child loves and gets excited about. Children learn best when they’re interested in the book.  

Irazoque recommends picking a time of day to read together where they're ready to sit and really listen. For many toddlers, this may be before a nap or at bedtime.

4 Challenge their communication skills, just a little

When helping a child who has a speech delay, it’s important to give them small, slightly challenging tasks to help them start communicating differently. We don’t want to cause them distress, but we want to encourage them to communicate in new ways. 

Here’s an example. Say your child is trying to tell you that they want something from the pantry. You know what they want–a banana, their favorite snack! Usually they point to it to tell you what they want. This time, prompt them to say the word. You could say, “Oh, you want the banana! You try it–say ‘banana’!” 

If the word is too tough for them, you can prompt them to say the beginning sound: “b.” 

Look for chances to help your child communicate just one step above what they’re currently doing.

Or, let’s say your child usually tells you “banana” on their own, and you want them to start using a phrase. You could prompt them to say, “Banana please” or “I want banana.”

Don’t withhold the snack for too long–again, we don’t want your child to become frustrated. Just hearing the language you’re modeling is helpful. Eventually, they should start trying to imitate you.

You know your child best. Look for times throughout the day when you can help them communicate just one step above what they’re currently doing. If your child begins speech therapy, your therapist can share lots of ideas for when and how to do this.

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How is speech delay treated in toddlers?

Toddler speech therapy is typically play-based and tailored to your child's communication needs. Treatment may focus on building vocabulary, combining words, understanding language, or communicating more clearly. Parents and caregivers are often involved, so they can learn how to use the same strategies during everyday routines at home.

Wondering what a toddler speech therapy session actually looks like? See our overview of speech therapy for 2- and 3-year-olds for a full walkthrough, including a video of a real session.

We’re here to answer your questions

If you're concerned about your 2-year-old's speech or language development, you don't have to figure it out on your own. Start with Expressable's free speech and language screener to get a better idea of whether your child may need extra support. If you're ready for a closer look, you can also schedule a speech and language evaluation with an Expressable speech therapist.