Advanced speech for an 18-month-old typically means going beyond the expected vocabulary size and complexity for this age group, demonstrating skills like combining words or having a larger, clearer vocabulary than the average.
At 18 months, children are just beginning their journey into language. According to developmental milestones, at 18 months, children typically have a vocabulary of around 50 words. These early words often include familiar people ("mama," "dada"), objects ("cookie," "ball"), and simple actions or sounds. They might also use "mysterious sounds only decipherable by their doting parents," as they explore different sounds and approximations of words.
Understanding Typical vs. Advanced Speech
To understand what "advanced" means, it's helpful to first look at the typical milestones for an 18-month-old:
Typical 18-Month Speech Development
- Vocabulary Size: Around 50 words.
- Word Types: Mostly nouns (names of things), some verbs and social words.
- Word Combinations: May start to put two words together (e.g., "more milk," "bye bye dada"). This is a key emerging skill, but not necessarily consistent yet.
- Understanding: Can typically understand simple instructions and questions.
- Pronunciation: Many sounds are not yet clear. Words may be approximations.
| Typical Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary Count | Approximately 50 words |
| Examples of Words | "Mama," "cookie," simple object/action names |
| Sentence Structure | Mostly single words; beginning to combine two words |
| Clarity (Articulation) | Words often difficult for strangers to understand |
What Might "Advanced" Look Like?
Considering the typical stage described, "advanced" speech for an 18-month-old would involve skills that are just emerging or not yet standard for the age. This could include:
- Larger Vocabulary: Significantly more than 50 words (e.g., 100+ words).
- More Frequent Word Combinations: Regularly using two-word phrases, perhaps even attempting three-word phrases occasionally.
- Wider Variety of Word Types: Using more verbs, adjectives, or question words.
- Clearer Pronunciation: Articulating words more clearly than typical peers.
- Emerging Grammar: Showing very early signs of using simple grammatical structures.
Examples of Potentially Advanced Speech:
- Consistent use of phrases like "Big ball!" "My toy." "Daddy gone."
- Using slightly less common words for their age.
- Asking simple questions using intonation (e.g., "Cookie?").
It's important to note that language development varies greatly among children. While these points describe what could be considered advanced relative to the 18-month milestone, reaching milestones at a different pace is very common. The primary focus at this age is on growth in communication, both understanding and attempting to speak.
