The nurse is interviewing a 3-year-old girl who tells the nurse: 'Want go potty.' The parents tell the nurse that their daughter often speaks in this type of broken speech. What would be the nurse's appropriate response to this concern?

Question

A) 'This is a normal, common speech pattern in the 3-year-old and is called telegraphic speech.'
B) 'This is considered a developmental delay in the 3-year-old and we should consult a speech therapist.'
C) 'This is a condition known as echolalia and can be corrected if you work with your daughter on language skills.'
D) 'This is a condition known as stuttering and it is a normal pattern of speech development in the toddler.'

Answer 1

Ans: A
Telegraphic speech is common in the 3-year-old. Telegraphic speech refers to speech that contains only the essential words to get the point across, much like a telegram. In telegraphic speech the nouns and verbs are present and are verbalized in the appropriate order. Echolalia (repetition of words and phrases without understanding) normally occurs in toddlers younger than 30 months of age. "Why" and "what" questions dominate the older toddler's language. Stuttering usually has its onset at between 2 and 4 years of age. It occurs more often in boys than in girls. About 75% of all cases of stuttering resolve within 1 to 2 years after they start.