Speech and language milestones: baby’s first year

Your baby’s first year of life is an exciting time of significant speech and language development, both in what your child understands and expresses. Even though most babies are not yet talking, their “pre-” speech and language skills are blossoming in amazing ways. Here are some of the major speech and language milestones your baby will likely experience over the first year.

Birth–3 months

Expressing:

• “Goos” and “coos” to indicate pleasure
• Uses different cries to express different needs
• Smiles upon seeing caregiver

Understanding:

• Startles upon hearing loud noises
• Smiles or quiets when spoken to
• Recognizes caregiver’s voice and will stop crying when voice is heard
• When sounds are heard, decreases or increases sucking 

4–6 Months

Expressing:

• Babbles using many different sounds such as p, b, m
• Laughs and giggles
• Indicates excitement and displeasure through vocalizations
• Gurgles during play

Understanding:

• Shifts eyes to direction of a sound
• Recognizes when caregiver changes tone of voice
• Realizes that certain toys make noise
• Listens attentively to music 

7–12 Months

Expressing:

• Babbles short and long strings of sounds (e.g. “baba atat mimimimi”)
• Gains attention by using speech sounds
• Communicates using gestures such as waving or lifting arms up to be held
• Imitates a variety of sounds
• Produces first word or two by first birthday

Understanding:

• Likes to play games such as pat-a-cake or peek-a-boo
• Turns body or head toward direction of sounds
• Listens when being spoken to
• Recognizes common objects when named, such as “book,” “cup,” or “shoe”
• Starts responding to simple directions (“Sit down”) or requests (“Want more?”)

Keep in mind that as with all milestones, these are general guidelines for typical development.  All children are unique and develop speech and language in their own way.  However, if your child is consistently not meeting speech and language milestones and you are concerned, it’s best to act fast and talk to your pediatrician.

More in milestones:

• Why developmental milestones will make you crazy
• Newborn to 1 Month: Emotional Development
• Newborn to 1 Month: Physical Development
• Newborn to 1 Month: Cognitive Development
• 2-4 Months: Physical Development
• 2-4 Months: Emotional Development
• 2-4 Months: Cognitive Development
• 5-7 Months: Emotional Development
• 5-7 Months: Physical Development
• 8-12 Months: Emotional Development
• 8-12 Months: Cognitive Development
• 8-12 Months: Physical Development
• 12-15 Months: Emotional Development
• 12-15 Months: Physical Development
• 12-15 Months: Cognitive Development
• 16-19 Months: Emotional Development
• 16-19 Months: Physical Development
• 16-19 Months: Cognitive Development
• 20-24 Months: Emotional Development
• 20-24 Months: Physical Development
• 20-24 Months: Cognitive Development

Reviewed by Dr. Sara Connolly, December 2018