Your baby’s speech and language development begins well before the highly-anticipated milestone of saying their first word – which typically happens by 12 months old. In this short guide, we’ll demystify the roadmap to how communication skills progress from 0 to 12 months.
First, key things to know
The first three years of life are the most opportune time to acquire speech and language skills. Your baby’s brain is working overtime to absorb and process information at a heightened rate! This is why the early years, from 0-6, are also considered the best time to acquire a second language.
Like other areas of child development, there is no specific timetable when all children will master speech and language skills. Instead, there are general windows when children reach certain milestones.
These general windows are used by providers when assessing children for speech and language development and potential delays or disorders.
If you ever need to see a specialist for your baby’s speech and language development, you will likely be referred to a Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP). SLP’s also commonly work with Audiologists and Developmental Psychologists.
What’s the difference between speech and language?
Speech is talking, which is one way to express language. It involves the precisely coordinated muscle actions of the tongue, lips, jaw, and vocal tract to produce the recognizable sounds that make up language.
Language is a set of shared rules that allow people to express their ideas in a meaningful way. Language may be expressed verbally or by writing, signing, or making other gestures, such as eye blinking or mouth movements.
More helpful terms: Receptive vs expressive language
Receptive is your baby’s ability to understand you, while expressive is their ability to communicate to you.
Babies generally have full hearing at birth to begin receiving sounds that help them make sense of their surroundings. By 7-9 months, their vision will have adult-like clarity which further supports strides in communication by attaching meaning to what they see.
0-3 months
Receptive | Expressive |
Baby turns toward your voice | Cries to communicate needs |
Startles as a result of sudden or loud noise | Begins to coo |
Quiets down or smiles when you talk | First intentional smile |
4-6 months
Receptive | Expressive |
Shows interest in music | Shows emotions by making different sounds |
Shows interest in toys that make noise | First laugh |
Responsive to changes in tone of voice | Begins to babble with sounds like pa, ba, and mi |
Can track sounds by moving eyes towards source |
7-12 months
Receptive | Expressive |
Enjoys games like peek-a-boo | Imitates sounds |
Starts to respond to simple requests or asks like "All done?" | Begins waving and other non-verbal gestures like nodding yes or no |
Understands words for common items and people | Points to objects |
Turn when you call their name | Uses both sounds and gestures to interact |
Look when you point | Begins more advanced babbles, like babababa |
As you enter toddlerhood, your baby will continue building speech and language skills in the years to come!