A healthy two-year-old boy presents to the outpatient clinic with his father for a routine health maintenance evaluation. The father reports that the child is active, eats a balanced diet, and sleeps well through the night. On observation, the toddler easily kicks a ball, climbs onto the examination table, and stacks a set of six wooden blocks. When evaluating this patient's speech and language progression, which of the following findings is the most age-appropriate expectation?
- Combining two words into simple phrasesAnswer
- BExhibiting speech that is fully intelligible to strangers
- CConsistently following three-step verbal commands
- DDemonstrating a vocabulary of over 1,000 words
- ETurning the head to orient toward the sound of a voice
Answer
The most appropriate language expectation for a 2-year-old is the ability to combine two words into simple phrases.
At exactly 2 years (24 months) of age, normal language development dictates that a child should be able to combine two words to make simple phrases. At this stage, they can follow two-step commands, their speech is about 50% intelligible to someone they do not know, and their spoken vocabulary ranges from 50 to 200 words.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Normal language development at 24 months includes a vocabulary of 50-200 words, speech that is 50% intelligible to strangers, and the use of 2-word phrases.