Catherine Palomino, MS

Master's Degree, Elementary Education, CUNY Brooklyn College

Catherine Palomino is a former Childcare Center Director in New York. She received her MS in Elementary Education from CUNY Brooklyn College in 2010.

wikiHow's Editorial Process wikiHow partners with over 1000+ experts from a wide range of fields to ensure our content is accurate and based on well-established research and testimony. Content Managers conduct interviews and work closely with each expert to review information, answer reader questions, and add credible advice. Learn more about our editorial process and why millions of readers trust wikiHow.

Q&A Comments (41)

How do you know if your child has problems with speech?
If you are concerned with your child’s speech development it is important to mention it to their pediatrician. The following red flags are some additional signs that, if noticed with your child, may be followed up with their pediatrician: 3 - 4 months: poor head support, no babbling or infrequent noise-making, regular eye crossing, and a lack of social smiling. 4 - 7 months: overly stiff or floppy body, difficulty keeping head steady, difficulty sitting, lack of noise response/social smiling, lack of expressed affection toward caregivers, and doesn't interact with objects. 7 - 12 months: no crawling, lack of evenness while crawling (one month after starting), can't stand with assistance, lacks curiosity (especially with hiding games like peek-a-boo), speaks infrequently, and doesn't use body language. 13 - 24 months: unable to walk by 18 months, cannot make sense or use of daily objects, cannot vocalize a minimum of six words by 18 months or two-word responses by 24 months, doesn't repeat and mimic words and actions, cannot follow simple instructions, loses previously mastered skills. 3 - 5 years: speech delays (stuttering, lisping, difficulty with articulation), poor motor skills, and under-developed social/emotional skills.
My daughter is 3 years old. She understands what we say but she does not want to talk. She only says a few words clearly and still uses baby language.
It’s great that your three year old can understand what you are saying! By age three an average toddler’s speaking vocabulary is over 200 words and they often can string together two to three words into sentences. I suggest speaking about your concerns to your child’s pediatrician who can best assess your child’s hearing, speech, and language development and recommend any necessary interventions. Early speech interventions may not only help your child’s speech but may also help with reading success later in life.
How do you teach a child to recognize two letter word?
It’s great you want to teach a child to recognize two letter words. After your child is familiar with the sounds of letters they can begin to blend these sounds by working on a few commonly found two letter phonics words. You can always make this practice into a fun game. Other two letter words are known as “sight words” and have to be memorized, you can search for basic sight words, some examples are “am”, “to”, “is”, “so”. Make flashcards of these words and practice them often with your child.
See more comments

Co-authored Articles (8)

How to

Make a Homemade Diaper

Before the age of disposable diapers, parents made cloth diapers at home--you can too! The price of diapers can really add up, straining your budget as a new parent. To save on the cost of diapering, you can try making y...

How to

Empty a Diaper Genie

If you have young children, you’re probably fairly familiar with diaper duty. Diaper disposal technology has come a long way, and now you don’t have to worry about emptying the diaper pail every day. If you’re luck...

How to

Write Phonetically

Phonetics is the study of the sounds used in speech. With a system of phonetic writing, like the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), you can represent speech sounds visually with symbols. You can easily find IPA spell...

How to

Deal with Toddlers Who Touch Themselves

Toddlers are naturally curious and often begin to touch themselves, usually at the most inappropriate times! When addressing their behavior, don’t overreact or shame your child and instead, talk calmly and matter-of-fa...

How to

Baby‐Proof a Fireplace

Fireplaces can be beautiful and cozy features in your home, but they also can be very dangerous, especially for curious children. Babies and young children can be easily drawn to the fireplace fixtures, which can pose a ...

How to

Keep Your Toddler from Taking Their Diaper Off

When your toddler rips off their diaper in a public place or even just at night in their bed, it can definitely be a little embarrassing and frustrating for you. However, your child is just reacting to a natural desire, ...

How to

Teach Your Child to Blow Their Nose

Teaching your child to blow their nose is a lesson in hygiene and etiquette. Children as young as two years old can start to learn this skill by imitating their parents and older siblings. The easiest way to teach your c...

How to

Read Aloud

There are numerous situations in which you might find yourself needing to read aloud in front of a group. Maybe you have to read a book to a group of children, present part of a white paper to your co-workers, or recite...