outer banks child

Understanding Speech Milestones

Children's means of communicating grow with them

Communication involves both understanding others and expressing yourself. Look for the following verbal and non-verbal milestones in your growing children.

Birth to 3 Months

• Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, gooing)
• Cries differently for different needs
• Smiles when sees you

4 to 6 Months

• Babbling sounds more speech-like with many different sounds, including p, b and m
• Vocalizes excitement and displeasure
• Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with you

7 Months to 1 Year

• Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as “tata upup bibibibi”
• Uses speech or non-crying sounds to capture and keep attention
• Imitates different speech sounds
• Has one or two words (bye-bye, dada, mama), although they may not be clear

1 to 2 Years

• Says more words every month.
• Uses some one- or two-word questions (“Where kitty?” “Go bye-bye?” “What’s that?”).
• Puts two words together (“More cookie.” “No juice.” “Mommy book.”).
• Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

2 to 3 Years

• Has a word for almost everything.
• Uses two- or three-word “sentences” to discuss and ask for things.
• Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.
• Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.

3 to 4 Years

• Talks about activities at school or at friends’ homes.
• People outside of the family usually understand child’s speech.
• Uses a lot of sentences that have 4 or more words.
• Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.

4 to 5 Years

• Makes voice sounds clear like other children’s.
• Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g., “I like to read my books.”).
• Tells stories that stick to topic.
• Communicates easily with children and adults.
• Says most sounds correctly (except perhaps certain ones such as l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th).
• Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family.

Next Issue: hearing and understanding milestones in young children

Information provided by Donna Trivette and Rhonda Osisek.

Additional Information

speech sounds & ages grasped
per the Preschooler Screener

by age 3 - m, b, p, t
by age 4 - d, k, g, f
by age 5 - s, z, sh, ch, j, v, l
by age 6 - r, th, and all blends
(l blends, r blends)

October 29, 2009