Today I met a little guy in person whose mom has been my guest twice on the podcast with more to come! (I LOVED them, by the way!) On that first show we reviewed the 11 Skills Toddlers Master Before Words Emerge and identified initiation as... [Read more...]

If a late talker uses 15 to 20 different gestures, wonderful! You don’t need this post! BUT… If a late talker you’re working with or parenting ISN’T using at least this many gestures, read on! Gestures are important because they... [Read more...]

Imitation means that a child copies what he sees and hears other people do and say. This “watch and do” process is how all of us learn just about anything. We pay attention while someone else does something and then we try it too. Language... [Read more...]

Play is important for language development and here's the most obvious, practical reason... Play is how little kids learn almost everything! Some late talking toddlers don't seem to like to play with toys, but "liking" or "not liking" a certain... [Read more...]

What's your best strategy for parents for working with kids who don't play with toys. Here it is and honestly, it's the only thing that really works! Encourage parents to “play and stay” with a toddler until toys are mastered. Your main... [Read more...]

4.24.18 A professor from UCLA identifies 5 questions to help parents recognize the signs of autism in their toddlers: Does the baby respond to his or her name when called? Does the young child engage in joint attention?  (Click here... [Read more...]