Normal Speech and Language Development |
Normal Speech and Language Development of Children Ages 0-7
Below you will find some helpful information that you can use to gauge the development of your child. These milestones are general and small fluctuations may be seen. When a child is missing a number of the given milestones an evaluation by a Speech-Language Pathologist is recommended. Age 0 to 3 months Age 3 to 6 months Age 6 to 9 months Age 9 to 12 months Age 1 to 1 ½ years Age 1-1/2 to 2 years Age 2 to 2 ½ years Age 2 ½ to 3 years Age 3 to 3 ½ years Age 3 ½ to 4 years Age 4 ½ to 5 years Age 5 to 6 years Age 6 to 7 years At age 0 to 3 months, your child . . . Exhibits an undifferentiated cry Produces some vowels such as ah, eh, uh Produces a small variety of non-cry sounds Exhibits a differentiated cry Is cooing/gurgling Produces single syllables Begins blowing bubbles · Has a startle response to loud sounds · Visually tracks while on back · Moves eyes toward a sound and attends to a voice · Fixes gaze on spoon or bottle · Watches light · Briefly holds and inspects 2 objects (1-4 months) · Puts objects in mouth · Briefly looks at people · Follows moving person with eyes · Hands are predominantly closed. No reaching/grasping objects · Opens/closes hand when touched · Quiets in response to sound especially speech · Reacts to paper or cloth on face · Raises head when face down · Smiles/coos in response to another smile/voice (1 – 4 months) · Excites when a caregiver approaches (1-4 months) · Is aware of strangers and unfamiliar places (1 – 4 months) · Cries differently when tired, hungry, or in pain (1 – 4 months) Back to top At age 3 to 6 months, your child . . . · Begins to babble with double syllables, nasal tone, and/or using /m/ · Begins to vocalize pleasure and displeasure · Stops vocalizing when an adult enters · Begins to self-initiate vocal play · Coos, chuckles, gurgles, and laughs · Babbles to self, others, and objects · Babbles with pitch and inflection changes · Vocally expresses eagerness · Anticipates feeding when sees the bottle · Watches movement patterns · Smiles at the sight of a face · Recognizes spoon or bottle · Laughs when playing with objects · Raises head and chest when on stomach · Puts objects in mouth · Watches his/her hands · Plays actively when propped up for 10-15 minutes · Looks intently at, reaches for and then shakes a rattle when put in hand · Pays attention to cube on table · Generally inspects surroundings · Smiles and touches mirror image · Increases activity at the sight of a toy · Works for a toy out of reach · Head control established at midline · Bangs with object held in hand · Transfers object held in hand · Rolls over both ways Back to top At age 6 to 9 months, your child . . . Uses m, n, t, d, b, p in babbling multiple syllables Songlike intonational patterns Uses wide variety of sound combinations Imitates intonation and speech sounds in his/her won repertoire Reduplicative babbling begins - bababa Attempts to imitate gestures Understands parental gestures Looks at some common objects and family members when named Understands "no" - stops on command Interest in pictures maintained for full minute while they are named Searches for partially hidden objects (4-8 months) Bangs objects together Performs many actions on objects – shakes, tears, slides, mouths, rubs Imitates ringing of bell Grasps a dangling object Explores a toy with fingers and mouth Sits without support Uses finger and thumb to pick up small objects Drinks from a cup Uses hands and eyes together Imitates arm movements Bangs spoon on a table Pulls self to a standing position Crawls on stomach Initiates vocalizing to another person Enjoys being played with (4-8 months) Different vocalization for anger, contentment, hunger, etc. Recognizes familiar people (9 months) Imitates familiar sounds and actions At age 9 to 12 months, your child . . . Vocalizes and jabbers loudly using a wide variety of sounds and intonational patterns Uses most sounds (consonant and vowel) in vocal play May acquire the first true word any where from 10-18 months old Begins to combine different syllables during play Will give a block, toy, or object on request Understands and follows simple commands regarding an action Looks in a correct place for out of sight toys Turns head when someone says his/her name Understands the meaning of hot Indicates displeasure when a desired object is removed Gestures and/or vocalizes to indicate wants/needs Begins to play with toys appropriately Deliberately drops toys and watches them fall Plays ball with another person Puts objects in and takes objects out of a large container Holds a crayon and imitates a scribble Takes a few steps with help Stacks rings on pegs Throws objects intentionally Shouts to attract attention Shakes head "no" and pushes object away Waves "bye" Affectionate to familiar people Begins directing other people through pushing, pulling, etc. Holds arms up to be picked up Stranger awareness begins Participates in pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, etc. Begins to repeat actions when laughed at Reaches to request an object Begins to imitate new sounds and/or actions Back to top At age 1 to 1 ½ years, your child . . . Uses sentence-like intonations called jargon Uses most vowels and consonants in jargon Omits final consonants and some initial consonants Basically unintelligible (not understandable) with the exception of a few sounds Words produced with a consonant-vowel (CV) combination such as bo/boat Accurately imitates some words Follows simple one-step commands Points to recognized and wanted objects Begins to "possess" specific objects Points to one to three body parts on command Identifies two or more pictures from a group Perceives others' emotions Uses three to 20 words of which 50% are nouns Average length of a response is one or two words Vocalizes with gestures Says "all gone" and "more" Answers question "what's this?" Engages mostly in solitary play Participates in continual walking activities and begins to run (stiff and awkwardly) Scribbles spontaneously with a crayon Can remove mittens, socks, hat, and can unzip a zipper Beginning of problem solving (opening doors, reaching high places) Imitates many actions such as sweeping and combing hair Pulls or carry/holds toys Very rapid attention shifts Brings object to show an adult May begin to use word approximations to request objects or attention Says "bye" and a few other ritual words which may include "hi", "thank you", and "please" Protests by saying "no", shaking head, or pushing toy away Comments on object/action by directing someone's attention through pointing and vocalizing/word approximations Answers simple what questions with a word approximation (may be unintelligible) Acknowledges the speech of another by looking at them, vocally responding, or repeating the word Teases, scolds, or warns with a word approximation At age 1-1/2 to 2 years, your child . . . Uses mostly words, jargon usually gone by about age 2 Approximately 50 recognizable words Asks questions by a rising inflectional pattern Improvement of intelligibility - about 65% intelligible by age 2 Appearance of words produced with a CVC pattern such as hot Uses names of most familiar objects Either uses the animal name or sound Verbalizes toilet needs (closer to 2) either before, during, or after the act Identifies and names at least 5 pictures by age 2 Says own name upon request Verbalizes immediate experiences Combines two words into phrases and may use three- to four-words Begins to use some verbs and adjectives 1/3 of utterances are nouns Comprehends about 300 words Listens to a story and pictures as they are being named Points to five body parts or more Responds appropriately to yes/no questions Discriminates food from other objects Follows directions using one or two spatial concepts (i.e. on/in) Negation used in the form of "no" (no bed) Possessive emerging (daddy car) Refers to self with pronoun and name (me Kurt) Plays near others but not with them (parallel play) Talks to self as he/she plays Has little interest in what others say and do but gives hugs, pushes, pulls, grabs, and defends rights by pulling hair and kicking May not ask for help Strings beads Puts blocks in a wagon instead of building with them Relates action to another object like combing a doll's hair Likes to play with play dough Less rapid attention shifts Names objects in front of others Says 'what's this' to elicit attention Begins using single and two words to command ("more"), indicate possession ("mine"), and express problems ("owie") Participates in increased verbal turn-taking At age 2 to 2 ½ years, your child . . . Should be understood about 70% of the time Might leave off final sounds in words Might substitute one consonant for another Understands about 500 words Can listen to a short story Can follow two directions at a time Uses about 200 words Can answer "where" and "what ? doing" questions Uses two pronouns correctly Uses "in" and "on" Combines three to four words in a short sentence At age 2 ½ to 3 years, your child . . . Should be understood about 80% of the time Can use these sound in words: p m n w h Understands about 900 words Can listen to a 20 minute story Understands in, on, under, big, little Matches colors and shapes Uses about 500 understandable words Answers simple yes/no questions Answers simple who, what, why where, how many questions Asks simple questions Begins to use "is" and more pronouns Verbally express their emotions Uses words to get your attention Uses language in imaginative ways Has short conversations At age 3 to 3 ½ years, your child . . . Uses final consonants in words most of the time Can be understood by you all of the time Understands about 1,200 words Understands the concepts: in front, behind, hard/soft, rough/smooth, circle, square, Follows simple two step directions Uses about 800 words Answers simple "how" Asks "what" and "who" questions Labels or states actions Uses "is", "are", and "am" in sentences Combines 4 and 5 words in sentences Is beginning to play cooperatively with peers Is beginning to share At age 3 ½ to 4 years, your child . . . Uses the following consonants correctly: b d k g f y Can be understood by an unfamiliar listener all of the time Understands 1500 to 2000 words Can follow directions involving three actions Is beginning to recognize colors Uses 1000 to 1500 words Tells about two events in order Asks "how", "why", and "when" questions Has long, detailed conversations Can tell a story Uses pronouns correctly, he, she, I, you, me, mine Likes to pretend and role play Can be bossy and likes to correct others Beginning to tell jokes and teases others with language At age 4 to 4 ½ years, your child . . . Should be very easy to understand Understands the concepts: top/bottom, above/below, between Can recognize two to three colors and name one color Can count to 10 Can tell the function of some objects Uses good imaginative play Combines four to seven words in sentences Uses the pronouns, "our", "they", and "their" Uses this, that, here, and there At age 4 ½ to 5 years, your child . . . Uses most consonant sounds consistently but not in all contexts May have difficulty with some consonant blends Understands 2500 to 2800 words Knows the following concepts: heavy/light, loud/soft, like/unlike, long/short Identifies most primary colors Answers simple "when" questions Asks the meaning of words Is able to tell a long story Uses "his" and "her" accurately Uses five to eight words in a sentence Is able to play cooperatively in groups of two to five children Is beginning to develop friendships Back to top At age 5 to 6 years, your child . . . Is using the consonants, t, ing, and l consistently in words Understands 13,000 words Understands opposites Understands the following concepts: yesterday/tomorrow, more/less, some/many, several/few, most/least, before/after, now/later, across, pair Names basic colors Can tell how objects are the same and how they are different Can state the order of objects: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Names the days of the week Uses all pronouns consistently Uses comparatives and superlatives: er and est endings in words Is able to play games by the rules Back to top At age 6 to 7 years, your child . . . Has mastered the following consonants: sh, ch, j,voiceless th ( r, s, z, and voiced th could take until age 8 to master) Understands 20,000 to 26,000 words Understands seasons and concepts of time Can state personal information, address, phone, etc. Can answer "why" questions Uses "have" and "has" correctly most of the time Can tell a story with a well developed plot and characters in sequence Uses irregular plurals with more consistency Can spend hours on one activity Enjoys spending more time alone in play Enjoys games and funny books Back to top Some information taken from the Speech and Language Development Chart by ProEd. Remember these ages are approximations; there is always an average range. If you have questions and concerns please call the Speech Therapist as listed by school. Speech, Language & Motor Development Milestones KidsHealth |