For professionals who work with toddlers, it has been long assumed that toddlers with less expressive language show more instances of tantrums and problematic behaviors. Researchers at Northwestern University have recently found evidence to support this association. Their findings indicate that young children with decreased expressive language are prone to have more frequent and severe temper tantrums.
The participants of the study included 2,000 children from the ages of 12 months to 38 months of age. Children who had less than 50 words or did not combine words by the age of 2 were considered “late talkers.” It was identified that late talkers had more severe tantrums and they were almost twice as likely to have a tantrum than peers with typical language.
This is important information to have when considering the reasons behind a child’s emotional outbursts, particularly if they have difficulty expressing their wants and needs.
https://leader.pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/leader.NIB2.25042020.13