Question 1

How many words should a 2-year-old say?

Accepted Answer

By age 2, most toddlers say 50+ words and combine 2 words ('more milk', 'Daddy go'). By age 3, vocabulary explodes to 200-1000 words and they form short sentences. Range varies, but a flat trajectory is more concerning than absolute count.

Question 2

When should I see a speech therapist for my toddler?

Accepted Answer

Consult a paediatric speech-language pathologist if your child has fewer than 50 words at age 2, isn't combining 2 words by 2.5 years, is hard to understand by age 3, loses previously acquired words, or shows little interest in communicating. Early intervention has the strongest outcomes.

Toddler Speech Development Milestones: What's Normal and When to Worry