Important Language Development Milestones (0 to 12 months)

Communication plays a vital role in a person’s life. Delays in language development milestones are commonly seen during infancy and toddler age. Simple speech delays may resolve with extra help from parents. But sometimes language delay in infancy may be a warning sign of serious problem like autism spectrum disorder.

It is essential that every parent should be given awareness by experts in child guidance, regarding language development milestones, so that very early interventions can be started in infancy itself whenever there is delay in acquiring the language skills.

2 months – Baby typically begins to coo around 2 months of age. It consists of production of single syllable, vowel-like sounds like “ooo” and “aaa”. Infant produces these coo’s during face-to-face interactions with parent or caregiver.

5 months – Begins to babble.

6 months – Monosyllabic babble, like “ba”, “ma”; without attaching any meaning to these sounds.

9 months – Bisyllables like “mama” and “baba” are spoken, without attaching meaning.

10 months – Can understand spoken speech. Points to objects.

1 year – Speaks one or two words with meaning.

If there is delay in any of these language milestones of development and if hearing is normal, Early Parent Mediated Developmental Interventions should be started immediately to improve the language skills.

Delay in language development, can lead to significant learning difficulties in school-age. This will reduce the self-esteem of the child and can cause emotional problems in the future.

Experts in Child Guidance & developmental pediatrics can guide the parents for scientific early language developmental interventions to improve the language skills of the kids during infancy.