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 Developmental Milestones for Communication and Language
The Hanen Centre, a Canadian charitable organization founded in 1975 by Ayala Hanen Manolson and dedicated to the early development of language, social and literacy skills, states that the "warning signs" of a possible language delay can be detected even in infants and very young children. Early intervention is critical. It is seldom in the child’s best interests to adopt a “wait and see” approach! The following developmental milestones provide some important guidelines for monitoring a child’s speech and language development:
BY 6 MONTHS: - Turns to source of sounds
- Startles in response to sudden, loud noises
- Makes different cries for different needs – e.g. one cry for hunger, another for when tired)
- Watches your face as you talk
- Smiles and laughs in response to your smiles and laughs
- Imitates sounds you make, like a cough or a sound – e .g. "Oooh"
BY 9 MONTHS: - Responds to own name
- Responds to phone ringing or knock at the door
- Understands when you say “No”
- Sends clear messages using gestures – e.g. reaches arms up to be picked up
- Makes sounds back and forth with you
- Play social games with you – e.g. Peekaboo (and lets you know that he wants to play again if you stop), and games like giving objects back and forth
- Enjoys being around people
- Babbles and repeats sounds like "babababa", "duhduhduhduh"
BY 12 MONTHS: - Follows simple one-step directions – e.g. sit down
- Looks across the room when you point to something and say, “Look”
- Consistently uses 3-5 words
- Uses gestures frequently, such as pointing to show you things, waving for “bye bye” and shaking head for “no”
- Gets your attention by using a combination of sounds, pointing and gestures, while looking directly at you
- Brings you toys and objects to show you
- “performs” just to get your attention and praise
- Combines lots of sounds as though he’s talking – e.g. ababa baduh abee
- Show interest in simple picture books
BY 18 MONTHS: - Understands concepts of “in” and “out” and “off” and “on”
- Points to many body parts, familiar people and objects, when asked
- Uses at least 20 words consistently
- Understands and responds appropriately with words or gestures to simple questions – e.g. “Where’s teddy”, “What’s that?”
- Pretends with toys – e.g. pretends to talk on a toy phone, gives teddy a drink, drives toy car
- Makes at least four different consonant sounds – p,b,m,n,d,g,w,h
- Enjoys being read to
- Points to pictures using one finger
BY 24 MONTHS: - Follows 2-step directions – e.g. go find your teddy and show it to Grandma
- Uses 100 – 150 words
- Uses at least two pronouns – e.g. “you”, “me”, “mine”
- Consistently combines 2-4 words in short phrases – “daddy hat”, truck go down”
- Enjoys being with other children
- Begins to offer toys to other children and imitates their actions and words
- People can understand what s/he says at least half the time
- Forms words and sounds easily and effortlessly
- Holds books the right way up and turns pages
- “reads” to stuffed animals or toys
- Scribbles with crayons
BY 30 MONTHS: - Understands the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little, a lot, more)
- Uses some adult grammar – two cookies, bird flying, I jumped
- Uses more than 350 words
- Uses action words – run, spill, fall
- Begins taking short turns with other children, either by using toys and/or by having little conversations
- Shows concern when another child is hurt or sad
- Combines several actions in pretend play – feeds doll, washes her hands, dresses her in pajamas, then puts her to bed
- Puts a sound at the beginning of most words
- Says words with two or more syllables – e.g. banana, computer, apple
- Recognizes familiar signs and logos – McDonalds, stop sign
- Remembers and understands familiar stories
"Milestones adapted from “Your baby’s speech and language skills from birth to 30 months” and “Your preschool child’s speech and language development”, publications of Ontario’s Preschool Speech and Language Program. Adapted with permission from the Early Learning and Child Development Branch, Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2007. For more information on Ontario’s Preschool Speech and Language Program, visit: www.children.gov.on.ca"
© Kelly Kirchmar, MA, CCC-SLP, 1993-2011 |
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