Ages and Stages: Speech Development in Infants and Toddlers

Children acquire language gradually through interaction with people and their environment. During the first year, babies start to develop skills they will use for the rest of their lives. The following developmental time-line was shared with Childbirth and… by Sonali Shivlani, CLE, CCCE (see her byline below)

Speech Development in Infants and Toddlers:

• 0-2 months listens to voices and can produce vowel sounds.

• 3-4months coos and gurgles and can also produce some other consonant type sounds like ba da ga, etc.

• 5-6 months can recognize names and familiar sounds. Starts smacking lips and also will talk to self in mirror.

• 7-9 months tries to imitate more sounds. Can recognize the meaning of ‘no’. Will start enjoying listening to simple reading from story books. Recognizes own name.

• 10-12 months says mama and dada, and other simple words like ‘bye-bye’ or ‘hi’. Can follow one step instructions like ‘give’ or ‘go to mama’, etc.

• If your child has not met these milestones then it makes sense to visit a specialist.

About Sonali Shivlani

Sonali Shivlani, CLE, CCCE, is an Internationally Certified Child Birth and Lactation Educator. She completed her certification from CAPPA – U.S.A. in April 2004. Training covered all birth related aspects beginning with Diet and Nutrition during Pregnancy, to the Common Concerns to Ante-Natal Exercise. Various methods of child birth such as Vaginal, Assisted Births and C Sections were also covered. Comfort and Pain relief measures both pharmacological and non – pharmacological were encompassed. Post Partum issues such as Child Care, Breast Feeding and Recovery of Mom were a part and parcel of the training program.

For Sonali's full bio: http://www.cappaindia.com/sonali_shivlani_profile.html