[kellymacxo]

I watch this 2 and 1/2 year old boy, he is very smart but tends to talk like a baby. He can say some words you can understand but when you ask him to say something or ask him to repeat he does it in a baby way of talking. My mom said he's definitely acting like a year behind his age. I just would like to help him speak more clearly and get out of his baby phase. How can I?

[DoulaLC]

Does he speak this way all the time? Does he have older siblings? Many would consider him as still being a baby.

Children learn to speak at different rates. There is a wide range of what is considered normal. It is not uncommon for toddlers to understand far more than they are able to verbalize.

In what ways is he acting like a year behind? Has his mother expressed any concerns or made any comments about his language development? If he goes to his doctor for regular check-ups, language acquistion is one topic that is usually discussed so it would be likely that his doctor would have mentioned if there was a concern.

One of the best things that you can do for him is to simply talk with him about anything and everything. Read simple books together naming the pictures. Use simple sentences and phrases, and repetition.