If your child does not use words, or you don’t understand what was said,

say it as your child would if they could.

Give your child a good, clear model of how the words should sound, without calling attention to the error. 

For example: 

Child: “ba”

Parent: “Bird, yes there’s the bird!” 

Give your child the words for sounds or gestures that they use. 

For example: 

Child: Reaches for juice and grunts, “ah-ah” 

Parent: Interprets that child wants juice and says, “Juice. Want Juice?” 

Parent then pours child juice. 

Child: Screams and begins to cry when parent presents book at bed time. 

Parent: Interprets that child does not want to read book and say, “No, no book!” 

Parent offers child a different book to read or another night time activity