[mpalomo]

My 2 and a half year old son Johnathan can only say "mama" and screams and gets frustrated when he wants to tell me something but he can't. I feel bad for him pleae help me to help him communicate better with him!!

He is very affectionate, but when we go out with family he does not say a word or even at home only mama maybe "no" once in awhile. Please tell me how I can help him develop better speech communication.
A concerned mother

[Wondergirl]

Have you had his hearing checked? Have you discussed his speech delay with his doctor?

Beyond medical concerns, sit with him several times a day and read simple books with him -- ABC books or animal identification books or body part books -- even take him to your public library and ask a librarian for help in finding simple board books and picture books that he would enjoy "reading" with you.

How's your imagination? Be a storyteller. Be expressive and use lots of body language and facial expressions to make up stories with his cooperation and help -- "Good morning, Johnathan! Where shall we go today? [listen if he has a response] How about let's go to the store? Can you say 'store' for Mommy? [wait to hear any response] What shall we buy at the store? Should we buy apples? Johnathan, say 'apple'!" And so on.... Tell an adventure story about going to the store and what you two can buy. Pause occasionally to give him a chance to say a word or two. Make it fun and exciting. If he says a word, jump up and down and praise him and say "YAY!" but don't reward him with food. Then keep going.

Please let us know how this is going. Too often we make suggestions and then never hear what happened or if there was a happy ending.