A hectic family life can actually limit the amount of talking time. A toddler may watch television while Mom is cooking or when his parents are getting ready for work. Dad quietly plans his day as he is driving his toddler to daycare. Once in daycare, the television is on while the daycare provider is cleaning up after breakfast. After morning television, quiet play is encouraged to reduce the noise while the other babies sleep.

What to do:
Include your toddler in your daily errands. Talk to her about things you see as you are shopping, "Look at all those bananas. See the yellow bananas." Talk to your toddler about your day, "Daddy has to go to a meeting this morning. When Daddy gets home tonight we can play a game."

It's important to know what a typical day is like at your child's daycare. Talk to the provider about limiting television. Discuss how important it is to allow your child to use his words to ask for things. Ask the provider to give you information about your child's day so that you can discuss it at home. "Did you play dollies today? What else did you play?"

Reading to your child and discussing books is a great way to encourage talking. "I like Arthur. Who do you like?" or "Where did the puppy go?" Reading to your child daily will enrich his vocabulary, understanding and his talking while spending precious snuggle-time together.

It's important to provide opportunities in your daily routine to enrich your toddler's speech and language skills. A child may be reluctant to talk because they're never encouraged to do so. Why would a child talk if pointing, grunting or having others talk for him can meet his needs?

On the other hand, a child who seems to be a "late talker" may be demonstrating a communication disorder and should be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist to determine if a disability exists. So discuss your concerns with your pediatrician and/or consult with a speech and language pathologist to see if a speech and language evaluation is indicated.

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