Language Development in Twins
Calling all twins parents! First of all, you’re a superhero. We’re seriously in awe of twin parents! Did you know? Twins are more likely to have delayed speech and language skills than single children. The good news? It’s usually pretty easy for twins to catch up.
If you’re a parent of twins, this post is for you. It explains twin language development, it digs into why twins sometimes fall behind, and it gives you easy ideas you can try to foster your twins’ language development at home. Our hope is that it takes your worries away and equips you with the tools you need to confidently support your little ones!
(Don’t forget to Pin this post so you can come back to it later!)
Twin Language Development
There is tons of variation in language scores among twins, but overall, research shows that twins do tend to fall behind in language a bit more than single-born children do. Male twins in particular are vulnerable, often falling about 6 months behind even female twins (Lewis & Thompson, 1992).
Language delays we often see in twins are things like:
Meeting language development milestones late
Saying phrases and sentences with fewer words
Making fewer attempts to communicate
Twin Speech Delays
Although twins are more likely to experience certain perinatal factors that can contribute to speech delays like premature birth and lower birth weights (Bowen, 1999), twin speech delays can most often be traced back to social-language experiences. The social experiences that twins have are often a bit different than single childrens’, and those differences can sometimes lead to mild speech delays. For example, twins sometimes have less language stimulation compared to single-born children because they end up sharing the attention of their parents/teachers/caregivers. Twins also get less one-on-one time with their families than single children do.
Most twin language delays seem to reduce by middle childhood though, so it’s not something you need to feel panicked over. But, it is still worth keeping an eye on! If you think your twins are falling too far behind, or might need extra support, go ahead and reach out to your doctor or a speech-language pathologist (SLP).
How do I know if my twins’ language is delayed?
We have a few free resources to help you understand what to expect in terms of language development milestones at every age.
Download baby language milestones >> Download toddler language milestones >>
Twin Language
Some twin parents notice that their twins seem to communicate using their own, unique “twin language” that no one else can understand.
This happens as a result of one twin developing certain ‘quirky’ speech patterns that the other twin picks up on and mimics. These speech patterns are usually immature and involve things like made-up words or expressions that adults can’t quite understand. As a result, only the twins can only understand each other, making it seem like they’re speaking a secret language!
So, even though it’s kind of cool to see twins communicating this way, and even though twins do tend to develop speech patterns that only the other twin understands, the truth is that they are not actually speaking their own little ‘language.’
Supporting Your Twins’ Language Development
It’s important for parents of twins to be proactive in understanding how to provide a stimulating language learning environment for their children. To help your twins stay on track or catch up in their language development, try out a few of these suggestions at home!
Reading
Choose age-appropriate and engaging books based on your twins’ age, and set aside time to read together. Our post on engaging books for babies and toddlers is full of great ideas!
1:1 Time
Since a lot of twins don’t get the same 1:1 time that single children do, trying being really intentional about setting aside time to interact with your twins individually for a while. You can alternate between your twins, or have your partner interact with one twin while you spend time with the other.
Responding
Make a point to respond to your twins, no matter how they engage with you. Look for things like babbling, eye contact, pointing, and attempts at words. And, be sure to respond to each twin individually!
Singing Together
You guys know we love songs and rhymes for speech development! We have a few fun, engaging songs and rhymes on our Instagram feed (look for the black and white videos) plus there are TONS inside our baby and toddler courses.
Playing With Language-Friendly Toys
We have a whole blog post on toys that support language development! Print it off next time you hit up the toy store (or open it in a separate tab as you shop online).
Narrating
Try narrating the things happening around you and your twins. Explain events, talk through situations, describe things in your environment-- it all counts! This might not come naturally at first, but in time, you’ll be a pro at it.
(North Shore Pediatric Therapy has another great post on twin language development, with even more suggestions that are worth checking out!)
Get in-home support from an SLP!
If you’d like to be proactive and to take supporting your twins’ language development even further in-home, we have some options for you!
Become Your Baby’s #1 Teacher
Our baby and toddler online courses will give you information, tools, and easy at-home strategies you need to support your child at home. No referral required, no waitlists involved! This is perfect if you’re looking for self-paced, video-based learning and a one-time purchase.
Story time with Wee Talkers
Join Carly and Katie, pediatic speech-language pathologists for on-demand story times and songs & rhymes classes designed to help boost your toddler’s communication skills. Plus, it’s fun!
Sources:
Thorpe, K. (2006). Twin children's language development. Early Human Development, 82(6), 387-395.
Deanna Swallow, “Speech & Language Development in Twins,” North Shore Pediatric Therapy, https://www.nspt4kids.com/parenting/speech-language-development-in-twins/
Lewis, B.A. & Thompson, L.A. (1992). A Study of Developmental Speech and Language Disorders in Twins. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 35, 1086-1094.
Bowen, C. (1999). Twins development and language.