Toddler Making Up Words - Jargon and Invented Language
The short answer
Toddler jargon - strings of sounds that have the rhythm and intonation of real speech but contain no recognizable words - is a normal stage of language development. It typically peaks between 12-18 months and gradually gives way to real words. Your toddler sounds like they are speaking a foreign language because they have learned the "music" of speech (rhythm, intonation, turn-taking) before mastering the actual words. Jargon mixed with real words is a positive sign. Jargon with no real words by 18 months warrants a speech evaluation.
By Age
What to expect by age
Babbling evolves from simple syllable repetition (ba-ba-ba) to variegated babbling (ba-da-go) to early jargon. Your baby may "have conversations" with you using babble that has the rise and fall of real speech. They may even pause and wait for your response. This is not concerning - it is the foundation of language. Your baby is practicing the sounds, rhythm, and social rules of conversation. Respond to their babble as if it were real speech to encourage communication.
Peak jargon phase. Your toddler may produce long strings of jargon with a few real words mixed in. They use pointing and gestures alongside jargon to communicate. The combination of jargon + gestures + a few real words is very typical at this age. If your toddler has several clear words (even if most of their "speech" is jargon) and is communicating through gestures, eye contact, and pointing, language development is progressing normally. First words should be appearing and increasing.
Jargon should be decreasing as real words increase. By 18 months, your toddler should have at least 10-20 recognizable words, and by 24 months around 50+ words and beginning to combine two words. If your toddler at 18-24 months is still mostly jargoning with very few (under 10) real words, a speech-language evaluation is recommended. They may be a "late talker" who will catch up, or they may benefit from early speech therapy. Do not "wait and see" past 18 months if words are very limited.
By age 2, jargon should be mostly replaced by real words and short phrases. Strangers should understand about 50% of what your child says at age 2 and about 75% at age 3. Made-up words for specific things (like calling water "wa-wa" or a blanket "boppie") are normal and charming - these are not jargon but idiosyncratic words that show your child is trying to name things. If your child at 2-3 is still primarily using jargon with few real words, speech therapy is indicated.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your toddler mixes jargon with real words and the proportion of real words is increasing over time
- Your toddler uses jargon with clear communicative intent - pointing, gesturing, and making eye contact
- Your child has invented specific "words" for things (idiosyncratic words) alongside growing real vocabulary
- Jargon is decreasing month by month as real words take over
- Your toddler at 18 months has fewer than 10 real words despite lots of jargon
- Your toddler at 24 months is not combining any real words into two-word phrases
- Jargon is not decreasing - it remains the primary form of expression past 18 months
- Your child seems frustrated that you cannot understand them despite their jargon
- Your child over 2 has very few recognizable words and no word combinations
- Your child was using real words and has regressed to only jargon
- Your child over 18 months does not seem to understand what you say (receptive language is also delayed)
Sources
Related Resources
Related Speech Concerns
Toddler Not Talking at Age 2 - Nonverbal
A child with no words at age 2 should be evaluated by their pediatrician and referred for a hearing test and speech-language evaluation. While some late talkers do catch up on their own, a child with no words at 24 months needs assessment to determine the cause - which could range from a simple language delay to hearing loss, autism, or another developmental condition. Early intervention is remarkably effective, and the sooner it begins, the better the outcomes. You do not need a diagnosis to start receiving speech therapy services through Early Intervention.
Toddler Talking But Not Communicating - Scripting and Echolalia
Echolalia (repeating words or phrases heard from others, TV, or books) is a normal part of language development in toddlers. Most children go through a phase of immediate echolalia (repeating what you just said) around 18-24 months as they learn language patterns. Delayed echolalia (repeating phrases from TV or books later) is also common. Echolalia becomes a concern when it is the primary form of communication, when your child cannot generate their own novel phrases by age 3, or when the repeated phrases are not used meaningfully in context.
Baby Blowing Raspberries But Not Saying Words
Blowing raspberries is a positive developmental sign that typically appears around 4-6 months. It shows your baby is experimenting with oral motor control - learning to use their lips, tongue, and breath in coordinated ways. This is actually a precursor to speech. Babies often go through phases of intense raspberry-blowing because it is fun and feels interesting. If your baby is blowing raspberries, making eye contact, and engaged socially, their communication development is on track. Babbling with consonants (ba, da, ma) should begin emerging by 6-9 months.
My Baby Is Losing Words or Skills
If your child was consistently using words and has truly stopped, this is something to act on promptly. Regression - the genuine loss of skills a child previously had - is different from a normal plateau or a toddler being too busy to talk, and it always warrants a conversation with your pediatrician sooner rather than later.
Baby Not Babbling
Babbling with consonant sounds like "ba," "da," and "ma" typically begins between 6 and 9 months and is an important building block for speech. Babies develop at different rates, but if your baby is not making any consonant sounds by 9 months, a hearing check is a good first step.
Baby Not Laughing at Peek-a-Boo
Most babies start showing delight during peek-a-boo between 6 and 9 months, when they develop "object permanence" - the understanding that things still exist when hidden. If your baby isn't laughing at peek-a-boo yet, consider their age and overall social engagement. Some babies prefer other games, and some show enjoyment through smiles or excited movements rather than laughter. What matters most is whether your baby is socially engaged with you overall.