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Typical Development Through the Lens of a Therapist: 2 years – 2.5 years old

Nov 18, 2022

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Speech and Language: Receptive Language (what you understand): Comprehends action words (i.e., jump, throw, kick, slide) Follows simple 1-step instructions (i.e., sit down) Points to familiar items in a book when asked Understands prepositions as ..

Typical Development Through the Lens of a Therapist: 2 years – 2.5 years old

Speech and Language:

Receptive Language (what you understand):

  • Comprehends action words (i.e., jump, throw, kick, slide)
  • Follows simple 1-step instructions (i.e., sit down)
  • Points to familiar items in a book when asked
  • Understands prepositions as (in, on, under)
  • Understands simple wh-questions (who and what)

Expressive Language (what you say):

  • 2-3 word combinations are used
  • Using -ing with verbs (i.e., mommy eating)
  • Uses the prepositions “in” and “on”
  • Expresses movement (up/down), disappearance (all gone)

Play/Social Development:

  • Around age 2, children participate mostly in solitary play
  • Around 2.5 years, parallel play (side by side) without exchanges emerges
  • Uses objects symbolically (i.e., puts pretend phone to ear and says “hello”)

Articulation (production of sounds):

  • Correct production of sounds (t, n, k, g, p, b, d, m, and h) at the beginning of words
  • Correct production of n, p, s, d, f, and k at the end of words
  • May continue to leave off ending sounds
  • Strangers may have difficulty understanding child

Occupational Therapy:

Fine/Visual Motor:

  • Snips with scissors
  • Folds paper creating a crease
  • Imitates circular strokes
  • Creates cube designs
  • Removes lid from screw bottle

Gross Motor:

  • Attempts to catch ball with proper form
  • Walks backwards
  • Jumps down from an object
  • Walks up and down stairs with little support

Self-Help skills:

  • Pulls down pants
  • Begins to show interest in toileting
  • Participates in grooming tasks
  • Removes coat when unfastened

Cognition:

  • Sort by shape and color
  • Matches pictures
  • Plays out scenarios in imaginative play