Childhood Milestones

Rockland Speech and Language

Meredith Duddy Handt, MS CCC-SLP

Speech- the verbal means of communicating; includes: articulation (how speech sounds are made), voice (vocal quality can be hoarse from vocal abuse or misuse), and fluency (stuttering or the rhythm of speech)

Language- socially shared rules; including, what words mean, how to make new words, how to put words together to form sentences, social language

These charts have been taken from www.asha.org.

What to expect from Birth to One Year:

Hearing and Understanding

Talking

Birth-3 Months

Startles to loud sounds
Quiets or smiles when spoken to
Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if crying
Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to sound

Birth-3 Months

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

4-6 Months

Moves eyes in direction of sounds
Responds to changes in tone of your voice
Notices toys that make sounds
Pays attention to music

4-6 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-1 Year

Enjoys games like peekaboo and pat-a-cake
Turns and looks in direction of sounds
Listens when spoken to
Recognizes words for common items like "cup", "shoe," or "juice"
Begins to respond to requests (e.g. "Come here" or "Want more?")

7 Months-1 Year

Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as "tata upup bibibibi"
Uses speech or noncrying sounds to get and keep attention
Imitates different speech sounds
Has one or two words (bye-bye, dada, mama). although they may not be clear

What to expect from One to Two Years:

Hearing and Understanding

Talking

Points to a few body parts when asked.
Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ("Roll the ball," "Kiss the baby," "Where's your shoe?").
Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
Points to pictures in a book when named.

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.

What to expect from Two to Three Years:

Hearing and Understanding

Talking

Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop," "in-on," "big-little," "up-down").
Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table").

Has a word for almost everything.
Uses two- or three- word "sentences" to talk about 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.

What to expect from Three to Four Years:

Hearing and Understanding

Talking

Hears you when you call from another room.
Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members.
Understands simple "wh" (who, what, where,why) questions.

Talks about activities at school or at friends' homes.
Speaks clearly enough that people outside of the family usually understand his or her speech.
Uses a lot of sentences that have four or more words.
Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.

What to expect from Four to Five Years:

Hearing and Understanding

Talking

Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it.
Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.

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 other 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.

Just for Laughs!