Communication
Milestones
- Startles in response to sudden, loud noises
- 2-3 months: begins to laugh and make sounds like “agoo” and “coo”
- Watches your face when you speak
4-6 months: babbles with different sounds like “bababa” or “muhmuhmuh”
- Doesn’t smile or interact (0-3 mo)
- Doesn’t Babble (4-7 mo)
0-6 Months
7-12 Months
- Responds to own name & understands “no”
- Takes turns making sounds with caregiver
- Looks for a familiar object when asked (“Where’s your bottle?”)
- Begins to respond to requests of “Come here!” or “Want more?”
- Uses 1-5 words consistently by 12 months even if the word isn’t clear (“ba” for “ball”)
- Makes few sounds Doesn’t use gestures (waving, pointing)
- Understands and responds to simple questions (“Where’s Daddy?”)
- Follows simple commands (“Get your shoes”)
- Points to a few body parts, familiar people, and objects when asked
- Uses 10-20 words consistently
- Says only a few words (18 mo)
- Doesn’t follow simple directions (1-2 years)
13-18 Months
19-24 Months
- Follows two step directions (“Get your coat and take it to Mommy”)
- Uses most of these sounds: b, m, p, n, t, d, k, g, f, ng, s, w, h
- Puts two words together (“more milk”, “hi daddy”)
- Not forming 2 word phrases (”hi, daddy” or “mommy shoe”)
- Identifies body parts
- Carries on ‘conversation’ with self and dolls
- Asks “what’s that?” And “where’s my?”
- Uses 2-word negative phrases such as “no want”.
- Forms some plurals by adding “s”; book, books
- Gives first name, holds up fingers to tell age
- Understands simple time concepts: “last night”, “tomorrow”
- Tries to get adult attention: “watch me”
- Likes to hear same story repeated
- Talks to other children as well as adults
- Solves problems by talking instead of hitting or crying
- Answers “where” questions
- Names common pictures and things
- Uses short sentences like “me want more” or “me want cookie”
- Matches 3-4 colors, knows big and little
- Doesn’t understand simple instructions.
- Doesn’t speak in sentences.
- Doesn’t make eye contact.
2-3 Years
3-4 years
- Can tell a story
- Has a sentence length of 4-5 words
- Has a vocabulary of nearly 1000 words
- Names at least one color
- Understands “yesterday,” “summer”, “lunchtime”, “tonight”, “little-big”
- Begins to obey requests like “put the block under the chair”
- Knows his or her last name, name of street on which he/she lives and several nursery rhymes
- Shows no interest in interactive games or make-believe. Ignores other children or doesn’t respond to people outside the family. Doesn’t understand “same” and “different.” Doesn’t use “me” and “you” correctly.
- Has sentence length of 4-5 words
- Uses past tense correctly
- Has a vocabulary of nearly 1500 words
- Points to colors red, blue, yellow and green
- Identifies triangles, circles and squares
- Understands “In the morning” , “next”, “noontime”
- Can speak of imaginary conditions such as “I hope”
- Asks many questions, asks “who?” And “why?”
- Doesn’t ask questions that start with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” and “why”. Doesn’t understand stories or tell simple stories. Doesn’t follow three-step directions, like “Go to get your crayons, sit down at the table, and draw a picture.” Doesn’t use sentences with five or more words
4- 5 Years
Information adapted from asha.org
