Milestones

A Baby learns to talk by listening to voices and sounds.  Soon your baby will begin to make sounds to tell you how they feel or what they want.  Babies develop at their own rate.  Some babies will do things at a young age.  Some babies will take a little longer.  Here are some things that most babies do.

                              Very young babies (up to 3 months) will:

• make noises (e.g. coos">

  Milestones

  A Baby learns to talk by listening to voices and sounds.  Soon your baby will begin to make sounds to tell you how they feel or what they want.  Babies develop at their own rate.  Some babies will do things at a young age.  Some babies will take a little longer.  Here are some things that most babies do.

                                Very young babies (up to 3 months) will:

  • make noises (e.g. coos, gurgles)
  • turn towards a new sound
  • jump at a loud noise
  • be calmed when you speak in a gentle voice
  • smile at you

  By 6 months, most babies will:

  • watch your face when you talk
  • cry in a different way when hungry
  • make noises to get attention
  • make sounds back when you talk
  • smile at you and other family members

   

    When to call for help:

  • Your baby does not react to your voice or other sounds.
  • Your baby does not smile or make noise when awake.

  What you can do to help a young baby learn:

  • Talk to your baby a lot when you are washing, dressing, or feeding him/her.
  • Sings songs or nursery rhymes
  • Play simple games like "peek-a-boo" 
  • Show your child picture books and talk about what you see

   

                                          By 12 months, most children will:

  • understand his/her own name
  • understand words like "bye-bye" or "up"
  • say sounds like "ba ba, na na, ga ga"
  • laugh and try to make sounds like you do

   

  When to call for help:

  • Your baby does not wave back at you when you say "bye bye" and wave
  • Your baby does not try to show you things by reaching or looking

   

  By 15 months, most children will:

  • take turns making sounds
  • say 2 or 3 words but not clearly
  • understand "no" and shake their head
  • reach or point to something they want while making a sound
  • understand simple questions or directions like, "Where is your nose?", "Show me your shoe"

   

  When to call for help:

  • Your child does not try to say words or sounds and gestures to tell you what she/he wants

   

  By 18 months most children will:

  • understand words and point to parts of their bodies like "nose", "ear"
  • will look for things when asked to, like "get your hat"
  • make new gestures and/or words like you do
  • make gestures or ask for "more" or "again"

  When to call for help:

  • Your child does not make gestures or sounds like you do.
  • Your child started to use words, but stopped.

  By 21 months, most children will:

  • point to a picture or sign, such as when asked "Where's McDonalds?"
  • play with toys and pretend to do things like feeding a doll or going in a car
  • say about 10 or more words
  • follow directions such as "drink your juice" or "sit down please"

  When to call for help:

  • Your child can only say about 5 words
  • Your child does not pretend with toys

   

  By 24 months, most children will:

  • understand more than they can say
  • say two words together like "more milk"
  • say "what's that" (may sound like "wha dat" or "whatssat")
  • pick one thing out from a group of objects such as a cup

  When to call for help:

  • You have a hard time understanding what your child says.
  • Your child uses very few words or does not put words together.

  What you can do to help a child learn:

  • Talk to your child simply, clearly and slowly.
  • Look at your child when he/she talks to you.
  • Praise your child's efforts to talk.
  • Play children's music and stories and listen with your child.
  • Talk about new places and experiences before you go, while you are there, and when you get home.
  • Expand what the child says.  If the child says "dog", you say, "big dog".

   

  By 2-3 years most children will:

  • use short sentences like "me do it", "Daddy going car"
  • follow simple directions like, "put the teddy bear to bed"
  • place something in the right spot if you say to put it "in", "on" or "under"
  • listen to stories and answer simple questions
  • begin to add endings to words, such as running, toys

  When to call for help:

  • Your child acts frustrated when trying to talk.
  • You have a hard time understanding what your child says.
  • Your child does not listen well.

  By 3-4 years, most children will:

  • use sentences of 4-6 words
  • give directions like "fix this for me"
  • ask many questions like: What? Where? Why?
  • tell about things they have done
  • talk to themselves and their toys
  • tell a story or sing a song
  • tell you when they are tired

  When to call for help:

  • Your child repeats words but does not seem to understand.
  • Your child stutters.
  • Other people have a hard time understanding what your child says.
  • Your child uses words in an unusual way.

  How you can help your child learn at this age:

  • Listen as your child talks to you. Nod your head or smile to show you understand.  Answer when your child asks a question.
  • Let your child play with other children.
  • Talk about how things are the same and how they are different.
  • Use words or sounds that your child finds difficult.  Have your child look at your mouth as you say the sound clearly.
  • Read longer stories.   Encourage your child to tell stories using books and pictures.
  • Ask questions that encourage your child to talk.

   

   

  By 5 years, most children will:

  • use sentences that sound almost like an adult
  • be able to say most speech sounds correctly
  • explain what familiar words mean
  • use sentences to describe objects and events
  • explain how to solve a simple problem
  • follow related directions, like "get your crayons, make a picture and put it on the fridge"

  When to call for help:

  • Your child does not use complete sentences.
  • Your child does not like talking to other children.
  • Your child has trouble following directions.

   

  Between the ages of 2 years and 5 years, most children learn a great deal.  The number of words they can say increases quickly.  They talk more and they ask lots of questions!  They enjoy listening to stories and music.  Often they will ask you to read the same story over and over again.  Sometimes they will remember the words so well it will seem like they can almost read.  By the time your child is ready to go to school, he or she should be able to speak and listen well.

  If you are worried that your child is not learning to talk well, or if you have questions about how your child talks, EARLY WORDS can help you.  Please contact us at (519) 354-0520.

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