Is this your child?

Have you wondered if your child's speech and language skills are developing as he or she should? Check your child's development against the speech and language milestones below. If your child is not on track with these milestones, now is the time to schedule an evaluation. Want to learn more about speech/language development, Autism, and the like, check out the educational opportunities available for families.

Speech and Language Milestones of the Six to Twelve Month Old

At age six months, your child...

• makes lots of different sounds

• laughs, gurgles, coos with familiar people

• reacts to loud, angry, and friendly voices

• turns and looks at new sounds

• babbles for attention

At age eight months, your child...

• responds to name and pats image of self in mirror

• produces four or more different sounds

• frequently uses syllables ba, da, ka

• transfers objects from one hand to another

• listens to own vocalizations and those of others

• tries to imitate sounds

At age ten months, your child...

• may say "mama" and "dada"

• shouts to attract attention

• uses jargon (babbling that sounds like real speech)

• plays peek-a-boo

• says a syllable or sequence of sounds repeatedly

At age twelve months your child...

• recognizes name

• says 2-3 words besides "mama" and "dada"

• imitates familiar words

• understands simple instructions

• recognizes words as symbols for objects: "car" - points to garage, "cat" - meows

You can stimulate your infant's speech and language by...

• responding to your child's coos, gurgles and babbling

• talking to your child as you care for him or her throughout the day

• reading colorful books to your child every day

• keeping your speech rather simple and concrete

• reciting nursery rhymes and singing songs

• showing interest in all the different sounds you hear (ice clinking in a glass, doorbell ringing, rain falling)

• teaching your child the names of everyday items and familiar people

• taking your child with you to new places and situations

• playing simple games with your child such as "Peek-a-Boo" and "Pat-a-Cake"

• playing simple music to your child