Language Development
Language development is the process by which children come to understand and communicate language during early childhood.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/174703-why-is-language-development-important-to-a-child/
Importance of Language Skills
According to the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association, language is not the same as speech. Language consists of a set of social standards that shows comprehension of the meanings behind words, putting words together in a sentence in order to communicate and understand commands, directions and information given by others. Children must develop language skills to relate with their parents and peers, as well as to grow into a person who can socially interact with others through life.
Hitting Specific Speech Milestones
Each child follows his own milestones for development of language, but overall he should be exhibiting certain behaviors by a specific age. By 12 months, a baby recognizes and reacts to the sound of his name and uses inflection with sounds. By 2 years, a child has a vocabulary of almost 300 words and can respond to simple commands. By 3 years, he has almost 1,000 words, 90 percent of which is understandable and can give his name and age. By 5 years, he can understand the concept of opposites and can speak in sentences of up to nine words.
Developing Speech
A parent can encourage the development of language skills with a child by interacting regularly, singing songs and reading simple stories. As a child grows, she can talk about her day or explain her likes and dislikes. A parent can play games with a child, such as naming objects or practicing concepts of direction; for example: in, out, over and through. Visiting a library encourages reading stories, and a parent can teach a child simple stories and rhymes to encourage repetition and language.
Things to Consider
While most children follow their own timetable for developing language, there are some signs that can indicate a concern. A child between 18 and 24 months who is unable to follow very basic commands or who has trouble making vocalizations may be showing signs of a language development difficulty. For a child older than 2 years, professional help may be needed if his speech is unintelligible most of the time or if he does not try to copy sounds or gestures.