How many words should a 30-month-old child speak?

Q: My 2.6 years old son speaks nearly 50 Telgu words and 50 English words. He can speak all the two-letter words but he does not know many three-letter words. Most children speak proper sentences at this age but my son cannot. He understands everything we say and does everything we ask him to do. When we try to teach him small two-letter or three-letter sentences, he does not try to learn them. My son is a very active and lively boy and recognises most of the animals. He also imitates each and every action he sees on the TV and expresses himself with signs but not with words. He enjoys music and colouring a lot. The only problem is with his speech. Please tell me how many words should a 30-month-old child speak?

A:There is no count about how many words or sentences a child should speak at any age. Please do not think of your child in such mechanical terms. He seems happy and learning things. Let him go at his own pace. There is nothing sacred about three word sentences. Read to him and tell stories and encourage him to speak to you. But don't sit and count the words. Growth is not by numbers alone.