# How Many Words at 18 Months? CDC vs Typical vs ASHA

- URL: https://mamadidyouknow.com/how-many-words-at-18-months/
- Publisher: Mama, did you know? (https://mamadidyouknow.com/)
- Author: Sarah Morgan (pen name of the editorial team)
- Published: 2026-11-04
- Evidence last checked: 2026-10-25

> Most 18-month-olds say about 10 words. The CDC floor is 3 words besides mama and dada; fewer, or lost words, is a reason to check in with your pediatrician.

**Short answer:** Most 18-month-olds say somewhere around 10 words, though the normal range is wide. The CDC's checklist sets a lower floor: by 18 months, most children (75% or more) try to say at least three words besides "mama" or "dada." If your child says fewer than three words, has stopped saying words they used to say, or doesn't point, follow simple directions, or respond to their name, talk to your pediatrician and ask about a hearing check and developmental screening.

Key takeaways

- **The CDC floor:** at least 3 words besides "mama" and "dada" by 18 months. It's a "check in with your doctor" line, not an average.

- **Typical:** KidsHealth says most 18-month-olds say about 10 words and understand about 100 to 200.

- **Understanding counts too:** pointing, following simple directions, and responding to their name matter as much as the word count.

- **Next step:** around 2 years, look for two words together, like "more milk." ASHA expects at least 50 words somewhere between 19 and 24 months.

- **Don't wait and see if worried:** a hearing test and early intervention are free or low-cost in many places, and starting early helps.

## How many words should an 18-month-old say?

About 10 is typical, at least 3 is the minimum most children reach, and many say far more. The reason you'll see such different numbers online is that different organizations are measuring different things.

The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their milestone checklists in 2022. They now list skills that most children, 75% or more, can do by a certain age. So the CDC's 18-month language milestone, "tries to say three or more words besides 'mama' or 'dada'," is set low on purpose. It describes what three out of four children have already reached, which makes it a useful signal to check in, not a target to aim for.

KidsHealth, the pediatrician-reviewed site from Nemours, describes the typical child instead: most 18-month-olds say about ten words, including "mama" and "dada," and may understand about 100 to 200 words. Some say more and some say fewer.

| Source | Age | What it says | What it means | 
| CDC/AAP milestones | 18 months | Tries to say 3 or more words besides "mama" or "dada" | Most children (75%+) can do this. Fewer is a reason to talk to your doctor. | 
| KidsHealth (Nemours) | 18 months | About 10 words; understands about 100–200 | A typical child, with a wide range either side | 
| ASHA | 19–24 months | Uses and understands at least 50 different words; puts two or more words together | Skills that emerge during this window | 
| CDC/AAP milestones | 2 years | Says at least two words together, like "more milk" | Most children (75%+) can do this | 
| CDC/AAP milestones | 30 months | Says about 50 words | Most children (75%+) can do this | 

Notice the gap between ASHA's "at least 50 words" by 24 months and the CDC's "about 50 words" at 30 months. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association describes skills that typically emerge in an age band, while the CDC flags the point where most children have them. Both are right; they're answering different questions.

## What counts as a word?

Any sound your child uses consistently for the same thing counts, even if it doesn't sound like the adult word. At this age, speech isn't always clear. ASHA gives examples like "du" for shoe and "dah" for dog.

- **Counts:** "ba" every time they want the ball, "wawa" for water, "uh-oh" when something falls, animal sounds like "moo" used for a cow, and signs your child uses on purpose.

- **Counts in any language:** if your child hears two languages, add up the words in both. Our post on [bilingual toddlers and speech delay](/bilingual-toddler-speech-delay/) explains why.

- **Doesn't count yet:** a sound used once, or babble that isn't tied to a meaning.

- **"Mama" and "dada":** the CDC leaves them out of its count of three, since many babies say them early, sometimes before they mean them.

A practical tip: keep a running list on your phone for a week. Many parents are surprised by how many words they find once they write them down, and it's useful to bring to the 18-month checkup.

Any sound your child uses consistently for the same thing counts as a word, even if it isn't clear yet.

## What else should an 18-month-old be doing with language?

Understanding and communicating without words matter just as much as the word count. The CDC's 18-month checklist also includes following one-step directions without gestures, like handing you a toy when you say "give it to me," and pointing to show you something interesting.

ASHA's list for 13 to 18 months adds:

- looking around when asked "where" questions, like "Where's your blanket?"

- pointing to ask for things, to comment, or to get information

- shaking the head for "no" and nodding for "yes"

- identifying one or more body parts

- mixing long strings of sounds, syllables, and real words with speech-like rises and falls

A child who says only a few words but understands a lot, points, gestures, and clearly wants to communicate is in a very different place from a child who says few words and also doesn't respond to their name or point. That's why your pediatrician will ask about all of it, not just vocabulary. For the full picture of how speech unfolds in the first year, see [when do babies start talking](/when-do-babies-start-talking/).

## My 18-month-old only says a few words. Should I worry?

Not necessarily, but it's worth raising with your pediatrician rather than waiting. Many children with small vocabularies at 18 months have a word burst in the following months. At the same time, a slow start to talking can be the first sign of a hearing problem or another developmental difference, and those are easier to help when found early.

Here's what the research says about "late talkers," the term for toddlers whose expressive vocabulary is behind but who are otherwise developing typically:

- An Australian study of 1,766 two-year-olds found that about 13% had late language emergence. Being a boy and having a family history of late talking were among the predictors; parents' education, income, and parenting style were not.

- A review by psychologist Leslie Rescorla found that most late talkers score in the average range on language tests by age 5 to 7, though as a group they still score a little lower than their peers into adolescence.

- The same review notes that screening toddlers' expressive language between 18 and 35 months is valuable because it can pick up children whose delay is linked to hearing loss, autism, or other conditions.

**What the research says:** large studies agree that vocabulary at 18 months varies enormously between healthy children, and that many late talkers catch up. But no study can tell you in advance which individual child will catch up on their own, which is why experts recommend checking rather than waiting. You can read more in our guide to [late talkers](/late-talker/).

The AAP recommends developmental screening at the 18-month visit, so it's a good time to bring your word list.

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## What happens at the 18-month checkup?

Your pediatrician will check language as part of a broader developmental screen. The AAP recommends a standardized developmental screening at the 9-, 18-, and 30-month well-child visits, and an autism screening at 18 and 24 months. These usually involve a short questionnaire you fill in about what your child does.

If there's a concern, the next steps are usually:

- **A hearing test.** Even a baby who passed the newborn screen can develop hearing problems later, and fluid in the ears can muffle sound for weeks.

- **A referral to a speech-language pathologist** for an assessment of both understanding and talking.

- **Early intervention.** In the US, every state has a program for children under 3, and the CDC says families can refer themselves directly. Outside the US, ask your pediatrician or health visitor how to access local services.

## How can I help my toddler say more words?

Talk with them, a lot, about whatever they're interested in. You don't need flashcards or apps. The best evidence is for everyday back-and-forth conversation:

- **Follow their lead.** If they point at a dog, say "Dog! A big brown dog." Name what they're already looking at.

- **Add one word.** If they say "ball," you say "Big ball" or "Ball rolling."

- **Pause and wait.** Leave a few seconds of silence so they have a turn, even if their turn is a point or a sound.

- **Read together every day.** Ask "Where's the cat?" and let them point. Our post on [reading to your baby](/reading-to-your-baby/) has ideas by age.

- **Limit background TV and screens.** The AAP advises avoiding screen media other than video chatting for children younger than 18 months. See our guide to [screen time for babies](/screen-time-for-babies/).

- **Don't pressure.** Repeating "Say ball! Say ball!" tends to make toddlers clam up. Model the word and move on.

Talk to your pediatrician if your 18-month-old:

- says fewer than three words besides "mama" and "dada"

- doesn't point to show you things or to ask for them

- doesn't follow simple one-step directions or seem to understand familiar words

- doesn't respond to their name or to sounds, or you have any worry about hearing

- has lost words or other skills they used to have; this is always a reason to call promptly

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: Is it normal for an 18-month-old to say only 5 words?**

It's within the range many children fall into, and above the CDC's floor of three. Look at the whole picture: if your child understands a lot, points, and gestures, that's reassuring. Mention it at the 18-month visit either way.

**Q: Do boys talk later than girls?**

On average, yes, slightly. In a large Australian study, being male was one of the predictors of late language emergence at 24 months. But it's a small average difference, so it isn't a reason to wait if you're worried about your son.

**Q: Do bilingual toddlers have fewer words?**

They may have fewer words in each language, but when you count both together their total is usually similar to children learning one language. Speech-language experts agree that learning two languages doesn't cause speech delays.

**Q: Does pointing count as communicating?**

Yes, and it's an important one. The CDC lists pointing to show you something interesting as an 18-month milestone, and ASHA lists pointing to make requests and comment.

**Q: When should my toddler start putting two words together?**

Usually between 18 months and 2 years. The CDC lists "says at least two words together, like 'more milk'" as a 2-year milestone.

### Sources

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Important Milestones: Your Child By Eighteen Months. [cdc.gov](https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/18-months.html)

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Important Milestones: Your Child By Two Years. [cdc.gov](https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/2-years.html)

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Important Milestones: Your Child By Thirty Months. [cdc.gov](https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/30-months.html)

- Nemours KidsHealth. Your Child's Development: 18 Months. [kidshealth.org](https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/development-18mos.html)

- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Communication Milestones: 13 to 18 Months. [asha.org](https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones-13-to-18-months/)

- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Communication Milestones: 19 to 24 Months. [asha.org](https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones-19-to-24-months/)

- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Identifying Developmental Disorders Through Surveillance and Screening. [healthychildren.org](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/Identifying-Developmental-Disorders-Through-Surveillance-and-Screening.aspx)

- Zubrick SR, Taylor CL, Rice ML, Slegers DW (2007). Late language emergence at 24 months: an epidemiological study of prevalence, predictors, and covariates. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18055773/)

- Rescorla L (2011). Late talkers: do good predictors of outcome exist? Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23362033/)

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Developmental Monitoring and Screening. [cdc.gov](https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/about/developmental-monitoring-and-screening.html)

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General information for parents, not medical advice. Source page: https://mamadidyouknow.com/how-many-words-at-18-months/