17-Month-Old III

You're probably spending time trying to work out the dozen words or so that your toddler says. She may be combining a few words now, saying things like "See kitty" or "Where dog?" She also may be imitating new words that you say. Most 17-month-olds can understand more than they can vocalize. Speak in clear, simple sentences to make sure you're getting your point across. Hearing and language development are linked. That's why you may want to have your child's hearing tested if you find that she's not using words, or if she can't follow very simple instructions from you.