What Parents Should Know About Their Child’s Communication Development

Watching your child develop communication skills is one of the most rewarding parts of parenting. Early speech and language milestones give us valuable clues about how children are learning to interact with the world around them. While every child develops at their own pace, there are general patterns that can help parents and caregivers recognize typical progress.

What Are Early Speech and Language Milestones?

First let’s break down the difference between speech vs. language. They work together, but are distinctly different. Speech, refers to the actual sounds we make and the coordinated movements of our tongue, lips, jaw, etc. Speech includes the Vowels, (ahh, ee, oo) and consonants (p, b, m, etc.) we make. You may hear someone refer to speech as “articulation” or “speech sound production”, which we will talk more about later. Language is broken into two parts receptive language and expressive language.  Language is the shared rules that allow us to understand (Receptive) and express words, gestures, symbols to communicate (expressive). Think of receptive language as how your child understands the world around them and think of expressive language as the vocabulary, grammar, sentences, etc. Language can be expressed verbally, with signs, gestures, written down, or even on a high-tech communication device such as a “talker” often called an AAC device, which we will go into depth in a later post.

Speech and language milestones are benchmarks that indicate the development of key communication abilities. These milestones cover everything from babbling and making sounds to understanding words and forming simple sentences. Tracking these developments can provide early warning signs if a child may benefit from additional support.

Want all the details in narrative form? Keep reading!

Want the big picture key milestones…click here for free easy to read printable milestone checklists.

Key Milestones by Age

• Birth-3 months:
  • Reacts to loud sounds
  • Calms down or smiles when spoken to
  • Recognizes your voice and calms down if crying
  • When feeding, starts or stops sucking in response to sound
  • Coos and makes pleasure sounds
  • Has a special way of crying for different needs
  • Smiles when he or she sees you
• 4-6 Months:
  •  Follows sounds with his or her eyes
  • Responses to changes in the tone of your voice
  • Notices toys that make sounds
  • Pays attention to music
  • Babbles in a speech-like way and uses many different sounds including sounds that begin with p, b, m
  • Laughs
  • Babbles when excited or unhappy
  • Makes gurgling sounds when alone or playing with you
• 7 months- 1-year
  • Enjoys playing peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
  • Turns and looks in the direction of sounds
  • Listens when spoken to
  • Understands words for common items such as “cup”, “shoe”, or “juice”
  • Responds to requests for “Come here”
  • Babbles using long and short groups of sounds (tata, up up, bibibibi)
  • Babbles to get and keep attention
  • Communication using gestures such as waving or holding up arms
  • Imitates different speech sounds
  • Has one or two words (i.e. hi, dog, dada, momma), by first birthday
• 1-2 years:
  • Knows a few body parts and can point to them when asked
  • Follows simple commands (i.e. throw the ball) and understands simple questions (Where’s your shoe?).
  • Enjoys simple stories, songs, and rhymes
  • Points to pictures, when named, in books (Point to the dog)
  • Acquires new words regularly
  • By 18 months at least 25 words
  • By 2 years old at least 50 words and combining two words together (Go bye-bye, Hi momma, more cookie)
  • Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words
• 2-3 years
  • Has a word for almost everything
  • Uses 2-3 word phrases to talk about things and ask for things
  • Uses consonants: k,g,f,t,d, n
  • Speaks in a way that is understood by familiar people
  • Names objects to ask for them or to direct attention to them
• 3-4 years
  • Hears you when you call from another room
  • Hears the television or radio at the same level as other family members
  • Answers “Who, What, Where, Why” questions
  • Talks about activities at daycare, preschool, or friends’ homes
  • Uses sentences with 4+ words
  • Speaks easily without having to repeat syllables or words
• 4-5 years
  • Pays attention to short stories and answers simple questions about it
  • Hears and understands most of what is said at home/school
  • Uses sentences that give many details
  • Tells stories that stay on topic
  • Communications with other children and adults
  • Says most sounds correctly except for (l,s,r,v,ch,sh,and th)
  • Uses rhyming words
  • Names some letters and numbers
  • Uses adult grammar

This checklist is based upon How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?, courtesy of the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association.

Supporting Your Child’s Language Development

Everyday interactions offer countless opportunities to encourage speech and language growth. Talk to your child throughout the day, read books together, sing songs, and play interactive games. Watch out for future posts about specific things to do!

When to Seek Guidance

If you notice your child is not meeting expected milestones or seems to have difficulty hearing or making sounds, discuss your concerns with your pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist. Early identification and intervention can make a big difference in helping your child reach their full communication potential.

Remember, every child develops at their own pace, but staying informed empowers you to support your child’s language journey every step of the way.

Don’t forget to grab your FREE resources. Click here for word tracker forms & printable milestone graphics.