Parents wait in anticipation for months to hear the first words of their baby, which is music to their ears. While every baby develops at their own pace, there are some milestones that need to be watched for when it comes to the speech development of an infant. Let’s find out more about speech and language development milestones you must expect from your child at different ages starting with infancy through 2 1/2 years of age.
Although the stages that children exhibit the speech milestones are consistent largely, the exact age when they reach them can vary. Thus, it makes it difficult to say whether a child will speak in 6 months, or in 2 years. In the lines to follow, we have collated some basic developmental milestones, grouped by age for reference. However, parents must make a note here that every child develops differently, and no two children are alike.
In This Article
- Speech And Language Development Milestones Between 3-6 Months
- Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 12 Months
- Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 18 Months
- Speech And Language Development Milestones Between 19-24 Months
- Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 24 Months
- Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 30 Months
- When Should You Consider Seeing a Doctor
Speech And Language Development Milestones Between 3-6 Months
Here are some milestones that you can expect as your baby grows from 3 months to 6 months of age. During this time, your baby should
- Learn to smile
- Startle upon hearing loud noises.
- Be able to recognize your voice, and cry in sounds for different needs.
- Coo and babble
- Gurgle
- Move eyes and neck in the direction of the sound.
- Give special attention to sound-making toys and music.
- Watch your face as you talk to them.
- Smile or stay silent when you are close by and talking to them.
Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 12 Months
By the end of their 12th month, your baby should
- Be able to see say ‘uh-oh’, ‘mama’, ‘dada’ and ‘baba’.
- Use gestures like waving, shaking, and pointing.
- Recognize their name when called and look in that direction.
- Be able to respond to bye-bye no and comprehend simple instructions like come here.
- Listen intently when in a group of people.
- Try to catch your attention using sounds, gestures, pointing, and bringing your toys and other things.
- Understand when you praise and applaud them and perform the same action repetitively.
- Try imitating words that they catch from your conversations.
- Point out things of interest to them.
- Try speaking a single word.
Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 18 Months
As a part of their speech and language development by 18th month, your toddler should be able to do the following
- Point out at least one body part.
- Follow simple instructions like ‘Go there, ‘sit down’ when gestured.
- Recognize the names of people they see on a regular basis.
- Make at least four different consonant sounds – b, n, d, g, w, h.
- Say somewhere between 6-8 words.
Speech And Language Development Milestones Between 19-24 Months
Below are some milestones your baby should reach during this time
- Learn at least one word a week and expand their vocabulary rapidly.
- Start using some pronouns.
- Enjoy being with a group of children and with other people.
Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 24 Months
By the end of their 24th month, your baby should
- Be involved with pretend play
- Respond to simple directions
- Know what some household products are used for – a toothbrush, spoon, mop
- Be able to join two words at least loosely
- Be able to point to named pictures in a book or a journal
- Ask one or two word questions
- Even if gestures are not used, the child should understand simple commands
- Should be able to communicate their immediate needs.
Speech And Language Development Milestones By The End Of 30 Months
By the end of 30th month, these are the milestones you can expect from your child
- Using some action-oriented words – run, fall.
- Ask simple questions.
- Understanding the concept of size and quantity – big, short, more, and less.
- Remembering and understanding some familiar stories.
- Taking an interest in nursery rhymes and hums them along.
- Ability to speak words that have two or more syllables.
- Combining several actions when playing, storing out their play, and doing a lot of activities.
- Scribbling and turning pages of a book and also pretending to read to stuffed animals and toys.
- Ability to hold a book the right way up.
When Should You Consider Seeing a Doctor
You should see the doctor if you feel that your child is not meeting the speech and language developmental milestones even after several weeks after the developmental milestone age. Though there might be nothing to be concerned about, understanding the delay of any goes a long way in developing speech and language in a child.
However, if you have a preemie, keep in mind that the timetable for a preemie could be different than what has been indicated. By the time preemies turn two years, they generally catch up with other children on milestones.
FAQ’s
1. At What Age do Babies Develop Speech?
Most babies will say their first words after their first birthday. Though the exact time differs between different babies, most of the babies will utter their first words between 12 to 18 months of age.
2. What Does it Mean When Your Baby Babbles a Lot?
If your baby is babbling a lot, this means they are exploring their mouth and trying to use it to make a lot of sounds. They will slowly learn how to communicate by mouthing sounds and then words.
3. Does Babbling Lead to Talking?
Yes, what begins as babbling slowly leads to your baby uttering their first words. Babbling definitely lays a foundation for talking and communication as the baby grows.
