Know Your Child’s Milestones

Speech & Language Milestones

Birth – 3 Months:

• Startles at loud sounds.

•       Quiets or smiles when you talk.

•       Seems to recognize your voice. Quiets if crying.

•       Makes cooing sounds.

•      Cries change for different needs.

•      Smiles at people

4 – 6 Months:

•       Moves her eyes in the direction of sounds.

•       Responds to changes in your tone of voice.

•       Notices toys that make sounds.

•       Pays attention to music.

•       Coos and babbles when playing alone or with you. 

•       Makes speech-like babbling sounds, like pa, ba, and mi.

•      Giggles and laughs.

•       Makes sounds when happy or upset.

7 Months – 1 year

•       Turns and looks in the direction of sounds.

•       Looks when you point.

•       Turn when you call her name.

•       Plays games with you, like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.

•      Listens to songs and stories for a short time.

•       Babbles long strings of sounds, like mimi upup babababa.

•      Uses sounds and gestures to get and keep attention.

•      Points to objects and shows them to others.

•      Uses gestures like waving bye, reaching for "up," and shaking his head no.

•      Imitates different speech sounds.

•     Says 1 or 2 words, like hi, dog, dada, mama, or uh-oh. This will happen around his first birthday, but sounds may not be clear.

•       Understands words for common items and people – words like cup, truck, juice, & daddy. 

•       Starts to respond to simple words and phrases, like "No," "Come here," and "Want more?" 

1 – 2 Years

•       Points to a few body parts when you ask.

•       Follows 1-part directions, like "Roll the ball" or “Kiss the baby”. 

•       Responds to simple questions, like "Who's that?" or "Where's your shoe?" 

•       Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.

•       Points to pictures in a book when you name them.

•      Uses a lot of new words.

•       Uses p, b, m, h, and w in words.

•      Starts to name pictures in books.

•      Asks questions, like "What's that?", "Who's that?", and "Where's kitty?"

•       Puts 2 words together, like "more apple," "no bed," and "mommy" book."

2 – 3 Years

•     Understands differences in meaning go-stop, big-little, and up-down.

•       Follows 2-part directions, like “Get the spoon and put it on the table”.

•      Understands new words quickly.

•      Has a word for almost everything?

•    Talks about things that are not in the room.

•      Uses k, g, f, t, d, and n in words.

•      Uses words like in, on, and under.

•      Uses two- or three-words to talk about and ask for things.

•      People who know your child can understand him.

•      Asks "Why?"

•      Puts 3 words together to talk about things. May repeat some words and sounds