Your child develops at a different rate to other children in his speech and language development,
but must go through the same stages during his language development.
The stages at which your child develops his speech may be quite different and met in a different order.
If your child develops his speech at a different rate it does not necessarily mean he has problems in his language development.
Birth to 3 Months
Responds to pleasure with 'cooing' noises.
Smiles when spoken to.
Startles to loud sounds.
4 - 6 Months
Shifts eyes in direction of sounds.
Notices and pays attention to sounds and music.
Makes babbling noises that resemble speech.
7 Months - 1 Year
Produces first words such as bye-bye or mama.
Imitates different speech sounds.
Recognizes basic familiar words such as cup or ball.
1 - 2 Years
Speaks two-word sentences such as more juice or where mummy?.
Identifies pictures by name when directed (point to the cat, e.g.).
Listens to simple stories.
2 -3 Years
Can name most objects.
Produces three-word sentences.
Understands differences in meaning for basic words (up-down or in-out).
3 - 4 Years
Talks about events.
Speech is understood by most people.
Understands questions.
4 - 5 Years
Speaks clearly.
Tells detailed, ordered stories.
Pays attention and responds to stories and questions.
5 - 6 Years
Exchanges information and asks questions.
Communicates easily with adults and other children.
Uses appropriate grammar in most cases.
Problems in child’s speech development occur when there is a lack of communication between you and your child. This leads
to misunderstandings and may affect your child.
Your child is unique in that he communicates with words, with gestures and with body language. Communicating with your
child allows social and emotional relationship to flourish therefore minimising problems in his speech and language development.
See Also...
