Is My Child Meeting Speech Milestones? A Speech Therapist Explains.
Is My Child Meeting Speech Milestones? A Speech Therapist Explains.
As a parent, you naturally want to ensure that your child is developing healthily and meeting important milestones, especially when it comes to communication.
Speech and language development is a critical part of early childhood, and understanding the expected milestones can help you support your child’s growth effectively. In this blog post, we'll break down the key speech and language milestones from birth to five years old and provide insights from speech therapists on how to foster healthy communication skills in your child.
Speech and Language Milestones by Age:
A. Birth to 12 Months
Milestones: 0-3 months: Makes cooing and gurgling sounds, responds to loud noises. 4-6 months: Begins to babble, using sounds like "ba-ba" or "da-da." 7-12 months: Babbles with more variety, imitates speech sounds, and says simple words like "mama" or "dada" (though not always correctly).
What to Watch For:
Lack of response to sounds or voices. No babbling or limited sound variety.
B. 12 to 24 Months
Milestones: 12-18 months: Says several single words, can point to objects when named. 18-24 months: Begins to use two-word phrases (e.g., "more milk"), vocabulary grows to about 50 words or more.
What to Watch For:
No words by 16 months. Inability to follow simple directions.
C. 2 to 3 Years
Milestones: 2 years: Uses two to three-word sentences, follows simple instructions, and has a vocabulary of about 200 words.
3 years: Speech is more clear, uses sentences of three to four words, and can be understood by strangers most of the time.
What to Watch For:
Limited vocabulary. Difficulty putting words together.
D. 3 to 4 Years
Milestones: 3-4 years: Uses sentences of four or more words, answers simple questions, and speaks in a way that is easily understood by family members. What to Watch For:
Speech that is hard to understand. Difficulty using pronouns or forming sentences.
E. 4 to 5 Years
Milestones: 4-5 years: Uses sentences that are more complex, tells stories, and understands time concepts like "yesterday" and "tomorrow."
If you notice that your child is not meeting these milestones, or if you have concerns about their speech and language development, it may be beneficial to consult a Speech Therapist. Early intervention can make a significant difference in helping your child overcome any speech and language difficulties.
If you have concerns about your child's speech development or need professional guidance, contact us at Infinite Services. Our team of experienced speech therapists is here to help your child reach their full potential.
