08/08/2026
The question I get most: how many words should my child have?
The honest answer is that there are two numbers, and they mean different things. The milestone is the minimum we look for. The average is where most kids land. Somewhere in between is very common and not a reason to panic.
But here is what I actually watch for, and it is not just the word count.
Is your child using gestures? Pointing, waving, reaching, showing you things.
Do they look at you and then back at the thing? That shared attention is huge.
Are they trying to communicate, even without words? Sounds, leading you by the hand, all of it counts.
Are they gaining, not losing? Losing words that were already there is the one thing I never want brushed off.
A child with fifteen words who gestures, imitates, and is clearly trying to connect with you is in a very different place than a child with fifteen words and none of that.
So if you are counting words and feeling anxious, zoom out. Look at the whole picture.
And if you want someone to look at that picture with you, that is what I do. Lubbock based, and I come to you.
