What is Considered Normal Child Speech Development
Read more articles on Toddlers/Preschoolers.September 16, 2006
Posted by Kim
September 16, 2006
Posted by Kim
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Tracking a child’s speech development can affect many aspects of a child’s life. Like all developmental issues with children, each child will develop at their own pace, but there is a list of guidelines that will aid a parent in noticing anything that may be a problem. Some children are quite proficient with speaking by the time they reach a year old and other children will not utter a word until around their 3rd birthday. Following the guidelines is just to give you an idea and your pediatrician will be able to give you a more accurate idea of whether your child may have a problem or not.
During the first three months of life, all babies will utter small sounds, but this is not really an indication of future speech. The thing to look for most during these three months is their hearing. Hearing will affect their speech later on in life. A baby at this age should be startled by noises and should respond to you if you call his or her name or talk to him or her. He or she will also be soothed by your voice when you talk softly. A big red flag goes up if your child does not react at all to sounds.
From four to six months your child will begin to try to mimic your speech. He or she will watch your face as you talk and begin to make new sounds. They should have a special cry for being hungry and also try to “talk” with you. If you say something to your baby, he or she will likely respond. Smiling in response to speech is also a good sign. If any of these signs are absent, there may be something amiss.
For the last half of their first year, a child will begin to recognize certain words that are generally used along with hand signals, such as waving hi or bye or asking to be picked up using “up.” Your child will also begin to try to say new words and in result, say new sounds. They will also laugh and try to imitate sounds such as a cough or sneeze or something else that they may hear. At this age, recurring ear infections can be a warning sign.
From twelve to eighteen months, your child’s babble will begin to take on an order similar to that of sentences. They will say some actual words although most will not be clear enough to understand. They will also understand simple questions and answer them by shaking their head yes or no. They will respond to music by trying to dance or sing. If your child is not talking somewhat or is not social by this point, that may be an indicator that something is not quite right.
Between eighteen months and 2 years old, a child will begin stringing words together usually in groups of two. They will actually ask for something they would like to have. They will begin to understand more words even if they can’t yet say them and will understand questions such as where is mommy or daddy. They will also ask what a lot of things are and will be able to understand simple instructions. If your child does not understand or talk as much as you think he should or if he or she uses gestures more often than words, you should talk to your pediatrician.
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