Verbal Communication in Children: Guide to Baby's Initial Expressions

baby language development parent child communication

By Jackelyn Cornejo , Parent Herald Feb 23, 02:20 pm

Encountering the delectable moment when an infant utters their first cherished word is truly memorable.

Kaleigh Loeffler, a speech-language pathologist from Children's Health℠, contributes understanding into speech milestones for babies and toddlers, along with an approach to strengthen their verbal skills.

When Do Babies Start Talking

Most infants say their first word between 12 and 18 months, with early verbal communication impending shortly after birth. From 0 to 3 months, babies make sounds like cooing and smiling. By 6 months, you may notice more speech-like babbling, including sounds like 'puh,' 'buh,' and 'mi.'

As your baby develops, key speech discovery includes cooing noises from birth to 3 months, chuckle and lively sounds from 4 to 6 months, and the use of single words naming intimate people and objects at 12 to 18 months.

Loeffler emphasizes that it's normal for babies to experiment with sounds before forming complete words by age 1.

After 1 year, parents should monitor yearly speech milestones, such as two-word phrases by age 2 and three-word phrases by age 3. Continuous growth in vocabulary is a positive indicator of healthy speech development.

At 18 months, babies typically say 10-50 words, but individual development rates vary.

Loeffler advises focusing on overall vocabulary growth rather than a specific word count. If concerns arise, consult with a pediatrician if your child hasn't reached 50 words by age 2.

Numerous factors can affect speech progress, including medical situations like Autism Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or hearing impairment.

Environmental factors, such as limited risk to language, can also play a role. Contradictory to a common misinterpretation, bilingual children do not encounter speech delays. Loeffler clarifies that counting words in both languages contributes to vocabulary development.

To cherish your baby's speech progress, engage in face-to-face communication, react to coos and smiles, recite activities, read books, sing songs, and play together. Cause-and-effect toys can also aid cognitive progress.

How to Facilitate Your Baby's Language Development

Babies comprehend spoken language well before they can articulate words clearly. In the initial stages of learning to talk, many babies may use only a few words, despite understanding a more extensive vocabulary. To support a baby's language achievement, consider the following strategies.

Observe: Listen to baby's nonverbal cues, such as lifting arms to express an eagerness to be picked up or handing you a toy to demonstrate a wish to play. React with smiles, eye contact, and urging to boost these early attempts at conversation.
Listen: Be watchful to the baby's cooing and babbling, and retaliate by generating related sounds. Babies often try to mime the sounds they hear from their parents, so allow them time to engage in their version of "baby talk."
Praise: Acknowledge and applaud even the smallest or initially unclear attempts at communication. Babies learn the impact of speech through positive reactions from adults.
Imitate: Babies enjoy hearing their parents' voices, and engaging in conversation with them aids in speech development. Respond in their language, using short, simple, and accurate words, reinforcing their attempts to communicate.
Elaborate: When your baby gestures or makes noise, take the opportunity to expand on their communication. Instead of simply offering more food, for example, point to the food and provide additional information, creating a richer dialogue.
Narrate: Describe your actions during daily tasks, such as washing, dressing, feeding, and changing your baby. This helps them connect your words to specific objects and experiences.
Persist: Even when you find it challenging to understand your baby's expressions, continue trying. Repeat what you believe they are saying and inquire if it is accurate. Consistently offer loving attention to reinforce their attempts at verbal communication.
Allow Your Child to Lead: During playtime, follow your child's interests and attention, emphasizing that communication involves a reciprocal exchange of talking and listening, leading and following.
Encourage Play: Cherish artistic and verbal skills in toddlers by supportive play, pretend, and vocalizing thoughts and ideas.

Read Aloud: Prepare a love for reading by frequently reading aloud to your child. These enjoyable experiences contribute to a lifelong appreciation for books and language.

If your child displays signs like a lack of enthusiasm in conversing, a limited vocabulary, or difficulty following simple directions, call in a pediatrician. Early intervention, including speech-language therapy, can be favorable if needed.