Speech & Language Milestones

Children may need to see a speech-language pathologist if they haven’t met developmental milestones. Some things to look for would be: difficulty repeating sounds, absence of new words, lack of joint attention and difficulty understanding common vocabulary. Norms are based on age. See how your child is developing by looking at the speech & language milestones chart.

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.

Free Fact:

Babies learn receptive language first by responding to their name.

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.

Free Fact:

One in every ten has some form of hearing loss. Ear infections can cause hearing issues with young children.

7 Months-1 Year

  • Turns and looks in the direction of sounds. 

  • Looks when you point and turns when their name is called.

  • Understands words for common items and people.

  • Starts to respond to simple words and phrases, like "No", "more.”

  • 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 and reaching for "up".”

  • Imitates different speech sounds.

  • Says 1 or 2 words, like hi, dog, dada, mama, or uh-oh.

Free Fact:

Parents and caregivers tend to shape word meaning in children before they shape grammar.

1-2 years

  • Points to a few body parts when you ask. 

  • Follows 1-part directions, like "Roll the ball.”

  • Responds to simple questions, like "Where's your toy?" 

  • Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes. 

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

  • Starts using many new words.

  • Uses /p, b, m, h, m/ sounds in words. 

  • Starts to name pictures in books. 

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

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

Free Fact:

Most bilingual children speak their first words by age 1 and use two word phrases by age 2.

2-3 years

  • Understands opposites, like go-stop, big-little, and up-down. 

  • Follows 2-part directions, like "Find the toy, put it on the table." 

  • Understands new words quickly. . 

  • Talks about things that are not in the room. 

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

  • Uses words like in, on, and under. 

  • Uses two or three  words to talk 

  • People who know your child can understand them.

  • Asks "Why?" questions.

  • Puts 3 words together to talk, may repeat some words or sounds.

Free Fact:

Copying the baby’s sounds and gestures starts a good communication game.

3-4 years

  • Responds when you call from another room. 

  • Understands words for some colors and shapes.

  • Understands words for family members.

  • Answers simple who, what, and where questions. 

  • Says rhyming words, like hat-cat. 

  • Uses pronouns, like I, you, me, we, and they. 

  • Uses some plural words, like toys, birds, and buses. 

  • Most people understand what your child says. 

  • Asks “when” and “how” questions. 

  • Puts 4 words together. Make errors ie "I goed home.”

  • Talks about what happened during the day.

Free Fact:

Reading daily with children helps them with vocabulary, joint attention and comprehension skills.

4-5 years

  • Understands words for order, like first, next, and last. 

  • Understands words for time, like yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 

  • Follows longer directions, ie "Brush your teeth then get a book."

  • Says all speech sounds in words. 

  • May make mistakes on sounds that are harder to say

    ie /s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th/.

  • Talks without repeating sounds or words most of the time. 

  • Names, letters and numbers. 

  • Uses sentences that have more than 1 action word.

  • Can tell a short story. 

  • Keeps a conversation going. 

  • Follows classroom directions ie "Take out your folder after snack."

  • Hears and understands most of what is heard.

  • They may talk louder outside than inside.

Free Fact:

Preschool is a good option for children to work on social skills and school routine before Kindergarten starts.

“Quiet people have the loudest minds.”

— Stephen Hawking

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Have questions about your child’s development?

Call 707.674.5090 or send us an email. Ask about a free consultation!