728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Babies › Baby's First Words

Baby's First Words

Speech Milestones to Look For

By Mindy Hudon, M.S., CCC-SLP

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

By 12 months, most babies have formed their babbles into one or two words like "dada, bye-bye," or even "mama!" It's hard to believe that in 12 short months, a baby starts to develop the ability to communicate with the world. From his first startle response to speaking his first words, speech and language skills develop rapidly. It's not surprising that research on brain development shows rapid growth occurring from birth to 3 years of age.

Continue to foster great speech skills by talking to your baby often. "Use the most of your immediate and surrounding environment to enhance your baby's speech, by going for walks and pointing out the different things you see ('dog, house, car, birds flying, mailman')," says Frank. "Do the same with things inside the house, at the grocery store, at the park, etc."

During this time period, your baby is ready and willing to learn language, and you're his best source to stimulate these skills. By providing a rich, language-learning environment, you're providing your baby with skills that will last a lifetime!

Warning Signs

Developmental milestones are used as a guide to know what children typically do at certain ages. Every child is different, however, and may meet these milestones earlier or later than indicated. However, for this age group, you should be concerned if:

  • Your baby does not startle or respond to sounds.
  • By 3 months, your baby does not turn toward the source of sound or your voice.
  • By 8 months, your baby does not babble, imitate speech sounds or use his voice to gain your attention.
  • By 8 to 12 months, your baby does not respond when people talk to him or show interest in attempting to communicate.

If you have any concerns about your baby's hearing or speech/language, discuss them with your pediatrician. Early identification of hearing, speech or language problems is critical. Identifying potential problems early not only can assist with speech and language development, but also can prevent difficulties in the future with behavior, social interactions and academics.

For more information, contact the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association at (800) 638-8255 or visit its Web site at www.asha.org.


Pages:  1  2  3  4  

Want to see more?

Comments

There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to add a comment.

Post As:
Enter your comment below:
Title
Comment Text
CAPTCHA
Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection.