by Narissa Ventress, M.A., CCC-SLP
So your baby is really starting to meet some major milestones! She’s sitting up, rolling over, scooting for items, and maybe even crawling! You’ve probably noticed that your baby’s attention span is longer and the two of you can engage in simple play activities together. It’s such an exciting time and I bet some weeks feel like you have to write down something new she is doing every day.
During this period, you’ll also notice new speech and language skills being showcased. The list below includes major receptive and expressive language milestones to look for, but remember, every baby develops differently.
What should my baby understand?
• Start to recognize family members’ names (where’s grandma? – baby looks for her)
• Stops (at least briefly) when she hears the word “no
• Attends to the person speaking to her
• Looks for sounds when the source is not nearby (will stop and look around when she hears a fire truck or a voice in a different room)
• Waves when someone waves or says “bye-bye”
What should I hear from my baby?
• Will shout (any noises, not crying) to get your attention
• Makes noises (vocalizes) when playing games and in response to objects that move
• Vocalizes four different syllables (e.g., ba, ma, da, wa)
• Attempts to imitate speech sounds
Encourage Language Development During This Time:
• Refer to the essentials for encouraging speech in toddlers.
• Always reinforce your baby’s communication attempts by responding (e.g., speak back, imitate their sounds made, look at him/her)
• Teach your child animal sounds (e.g., “the sheep says ___ “baa”)
• Narrate throughout your day (e.g., do you see the ball toy? It’s a big red ball. Let’s toss it up. Where did it go? You rolled the ball, etc.)
Don’t forget, every child is different and may meet developmental milestones at different times. However, it’s important to track your child’s development and not simply assume that he or she will simply “catch up”. If your baby isn’t yet vocalizing throughout the day or attempting imitations, it could mean a problem with hearing or speech development. If you have concerns, contact your pediatrician or local speech-language pathologist.
For more examples and a wonderful explanation of the developmental milestones, see the video below published by the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine:
For more info, see:
Verbal Expectations: Birth to 3 Months
Verbal Expectations: 4-6 Months
See asha.org for additional resources.
