TODDLER SPEECH THERAPY TIPS FOR AT HOME: Expressive Language Delay Tips for Late Talking Toddlers

Kelli Meyer, M.Ed, CCC-SLP Licensed and Certified Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist

((Hi Guys! I'm BACK!!! Sorry for the delay - I went through 3 rounds of IVF and then finally recently had my son! Thanks for your patience, as I didn't share my pregnancy publicly due to the high risk nature.)

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// Here are 3 parent friendly Tips (+2 BONUS) for helping children with expressive language delays (aka late talking toddlers)!

Tip #1: Pull your child's attention to your face by holding what they are looking at next to your mouth so they can see how the word is formed
-Pro Tip: Don't say "Say" ... instead: model what you think your child might want to say and use an elevated tone of voice to make it fun to imitate!

Tip #2: Use Elongated Vowels - provide choices (both preferred and non-preferred - very important to provide a non-preferred option so that your child does not just repeat the last option offered) and then use those exaggerated vowels to encourage your child to communicate what they want! Continue to practice adding on sounds onto their mastered vowels to "shape up" their speech articulation over time!

Bonus Tip: Use Speech Sound Hand Cues which helps your child visually differentiate between speech sounds! (easier than auditory discrimination for early language development)

Tip #3: Teach POWER WORDS: (functional vocabulary words) usually actions: HELP, STUCK, MINE, UP, NO, OPEN, etc! This will help your child express their wants in their time of need!

Bonus Tip: Set up Communication Opportunities at home! (ex: give them an empty cup or plate and see what they do!! then model: UH OH! JUICE! or WATER! or MORE DRINK PLEASE!)

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I hope these tips were helpful for you! As always, please leave your video ideas down below and any questions you have!!

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[dorothydionne]

This is very helpful, my son doesn't speak at all and he will be 3 in March 2025. He will pay attention when singing his favorite songs or counting, and he will pull my hand to take me to what he wants, so those things make me happy that he is communicating in his own way. I just subscribed! Very helpful!

[leannanderson]

Reading that you just had a baby. Congratulations to you and your growing family. Babies are a true miracle and a blessing. Enjoy every minute

[regiyea]

Thank you as I have been telling my son "Say" alot recently.

[jzv]

You have the best & most helpful videos I’ve seen. Thank you!

[RaquelMoser-ny]

Congratulations on having your baby! I work for Help Me Grow Utah and we send your videos to parents with young children all the time so we all feel like we know you personally from all the videos we watch and we are all so excited for you!

[JA-vvwy]

Congratulations on your bundle of joy!
Thank you for the helpful hints

[klk]

I stumbled upon your page trying to help my niece with expressive language. Your channel is very helpful. Congrats on your little one 🌈. I’m currently going through my second round of IVF 🙏💗

[wil_nestv]

Thank you so much..i hope this'll help us..this expressive language delay is whats happening to us now..

[brittanyrogerson]

Hi! I have 4 year old twin boys who were very premature with so many medical issues. Speech was the last thing on our minds, and I thought it would just come naturally. It hasn’t! And now they are soo behind their peers. I have had them in speech therapy for 1.5 years with little improvement until the last couple of months. We haven’t been able to stay in preschool because they are having a hard time adapting and in my opinion the teachers are frustrated with their speech delay. We get along fine at home with no major behavioral issues. The boys just seem to understand each other and we understand them with minimal verbal communication. I would love a video highlighting what can happen with twins and speech delays. And it would be great to see a video on how I can gear my whole house (kitchen, playroom, boys bedroom, etc) to encourage more communication opportunities. Your content is amazing! I love how you recognize that all of this can be exhausting for parents. I also love that your only advice for parent isn’t to just narrate their day and to talk to your child more. I honestly find it offensive when people say that to me… as if I don’t talk to my children. I am hooked on your videos. I can’t say thank you enough!!

[Find-Your-Wellness-With-Me]

Congrats, 3 times of IVF that's a lot of stress, can't imagine... Glad you are back, I thought you decided to quit utube

[joanmcgrath]

Thank you so much!! <3 This is going to help my 3 year old so much.

[abigailnicole]

I really hope this gets my almost 22 month old to repeat words. Thank you.

[Yuvibhuvi-rl]

My baby is 20 months old and he can recite so many nursery rhymes, 1-20 counting. He knows names of animals, fruits, vegetables, colours, shapes.

This is very informative video, I love watching these types of videos, thank you so much❤
I also want to share my experience
I'm a mom of a baby and a toddler. I always focused on giving quality time to my babies even before birth and my both babies started talking at the age of 12 months and at 1.5 years of age they started speaking sentences in English and hindi.Playing, singing, dancing, reading books, weaving stories around them, telling them the names of everything they see on regularly help them learn.

[КоррадоКатани-жя]

Hello mis....unfortunately i Don't know your name.
my name is serghei. I'm a doctor from moskow.
internship was in children's psychiatry, and in addition i've been studying acupuncture in Kiev.
and i Am using this method!!
very useful, as a matter of fact.
I reccomend

[RegimentJoker]

did you ever make the receptive language delay video?

[mrsamirza]

New sub here ❤ my tod is almost 23 months old, very receptive, though he isn't talking yet as i expert for his age i dont know if he is lazy to do it or there is an underlying issue, eg once his dad asked him what he should bring him when he comes home from work he replied "Nothing " i was so suprised and shocked.

[Poppythepup]

Congratulations! I’m a new subscriber here and I’m loving your content. Do you have any tips or how to help my toddler say a specific word or sound instead of signing it. For example you said to give an empty cup of water, but my child would just sign water and continue to do so until I filled it up. Our SLP says to just continue to say water, but she just signs it.

[Jessicag]

My son is is 21 mo he stopped saying words when he turned 1 yr old. He doesn’t like having eye contact or interaction with other kids. He doesn’t like us or other people touch him idk why, he doesn’t like touching his food and I have a hard time for him to eat. He used to eat so well but when he turned 1 he changed completely. I’m really concerned for him. He used to say mama and dada and wave, now he doesn’t, idk what else to do I talk w his pediatrician and I get no help. I really want to help him but idk how to do it I feel alone in this 🥺 I hope I get to learn from you and teach him the best way possible

[ChristeenAnderson]

My son is 3 he hard talk he will say juice and next he will take to it...what can do with is spoken delay

[janinamacias]

These are great tips. My child doesnt seem to understand much yet. But i have heard her repeat words after the tv or much later in the day, when she thinks shes alone. (Ex. Why, buh bye, open) Any idea why? Thx