One of the most common questions I get asked as a speech language pathologist is should my child be talking yet?
This question is followed by many more:
Should I be able to understand what my child is saying yet?
Should my child be able to follow directions?
When should my child be putting words together?
And the question I was asking myself just a few days ago… should my six month old baby be babbling yet? The doctor at my son’s six month appointment asked if he was babbling (e.g., “bababa”, “mamama”) and I could confidently say at the time that he was cooing A LOT but not using consonant sounds. Like most parents, I began to worry!
The first thing to remember with developmental milestones is that each child is unique and will learn new skills at their own pace! There is a wide range of what is considered “typical development” for each age and it’s important to remember that children, just like adults, will have areas of strength and areas that may take a little more time. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) notes that children may not have all the skills mentioned below until the end of an age range!
Although I don’t recommend endless googling, I always find it helpful to have an idea of what the developmental milestones are for my son and if you are anything like me you may feel the same.
Under 1 Year Old
Between 4-6 months old, a baby will typically move their eyes in the direction of sound, respond to changes in their parent’s tone of voice and notice toys that make sounds. They will also coo and begin babbling when playing with you or playing with toys. They begin making sounds like “ba”, “pa”, “mi” and will giggle and laugh.
From 7 months to a year, a baby begins to look when you point, can turn when their name is called and starts understanding words for common/preferred items and people (e.g., daddy, mommy, milk, car). Your baby will begin to string together sounds like “bababa” and “mamama”. They will use sounds and gestures to get your attention, point to items and use gestures like reaching for “up” and waving hello or goodbye. Babies will often begin saying one or two words around their first birthday but those words may not be very easy to understand.
One to Two Years Old
From one to two-years old, your toddler will begin to point to a few body parts and point to pictures in a book when asked. They begin to follow one-step directions and respond to simple questions (e.g., “Where is the ball?” or “Who is that?”). They will also listen to simple songs and stories. Toddlers at this age will begin to use lots of new words! You will hear the sounds p, b, m, h, and w in their words and they begin to name pictures in a book or label objects. They will start asking “who”, “what” and “where” questions and begin putting two words together (e.g., “more juice”, “no go”, “want car”).
Two to Three Years Old
Between the ages of two and three years old, your toddler will begin to understand new words quickly and follow 2-step directions (e.g., “get the cup and give it to mommy”). They will also understand opposites (e.g., big/little, up/down). Your toddler will be using lots of words and be able to talk about things that are not present in the room. You will hear the sounds k, g, f, t, d, and n in their words. They will also begin to ask “why” questions and put 2-3 words together.
If you are concerned about your child’s speech and language development, please reach out for a FREE phone consultation!!
AUTHOR: JESSIE KENSEY, M.S., CCC-SLP
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