Child speech and language development milestones

Hearing your child say “mama,” “dada” or another first word can feel exciting and memorable. Those early sounds, along with coos and babbling, are important building blocks for language development.

Every child develops at their own pace, so it’s natural for parents to wonder whether their child is meeting speech milestones on time. The good news is that there’s a wide range of normal when it comes to language development. 

What are the stages of language development?

While every child’s timeline is different, there are general language development milestones pediatricians use to help track progress.

Newborn to 1 year

Newborn language development starts earlier than many people realize. Even before babies can speak, they begin recognizing familiar voices and sounds.

“At around 2 months old, babies begin making soft vowel sounds. These adorable cooing sounds like “ooo” and “aah” are part of baby’s early language and communication growth,” says Catherine Pourdavoud, M.D., a pediatrician with Sutter.  

At 6 months old, many babies begin babbling with sounds like “ba-ba” or “da-da” and start learning the rhythm of conversation. Around 12 months, simple words with meaning may begin to emerge. Babies commonly have between 1-3 words at this age.

Toddler years

During toddlerhood, children often move from single words to short phrases and more interactive communication.

By about 18 months, many toddlers can say several words and point to familiar objects when asked. They may also understand more language than they can express verbally.

Around age 2, children often begin combining words into short phrases like “more juice” or “doggy run.” “A 2 year-old child typically has around 50 words in her vocabulary,” says Pourdavoud.

How can parents support language development?

Parents and caregivers play an important role in helping children build communication skills. A few simple activities can encourage language development throughout the day.

“It’s never too early to start reading together, even with newborns. There are so many incredible benefits to reading including enhancing brain, language and cognitive development, and building emotional bonds,” says Pourdavoud.

• Talk through daily activities. Narrating everyday routines helps expose children to new words and sounds. At the grocery store or park, you might describe what you see or what you’re doing together.
• Read and sing together. Books, songs and rhymes can help children hear patterns in language and build vocabulary. Reading aloud regularly also creates opportunities for conversation and interaction.
• Give children time to respond. It can be tempting to finish sentences or answer for children, but allowing extra time for them to respond may help build confidence and communication skills.
• Ask open-ended questions. Questions that encourage more than a yes-or-no answer can help children practice using language in different ways.

Common speech concerns

Some speech differences are common during early childhood and may improve with time.

• Stuttering. For many children younger than 4, occasional stuttering can happen as language skills rapidly develop. In some cases, it improves on its own over time.
• Pronunciation. Young children also commonly mispronounce words or substitute sounds while learning speech patterns. Certain pronunciation differences may persist until about age 5.

If stuttering lasts longer than several months, causes frustration or continues worsening, it may help to talk with your pediatrician. Persistent speech concerns or trouble understanding your child’s speech may also warrant an evaluation.

When should a child see a specialist?

If a pediatrician suspects a speech or hearing delay, they may refer your child to an audiologist and/or speech-language pathologist for further evaluation.

Audiologists assess hearing and look for issues that may affect speech development, including hearing loss or fluid in the ear. Speech-language pathologists evaluate how children communicate, understand language and interact socially.

Many therapies for speech milestones are designed to feel engaging and play-based for children.

Treatment may include:

• Activities that help build vocabulary and sentence structure
• Exercises that support pronunciation and speech sounds
• Language modeling and communication practice
• Alternative communication tools for children with more significant delays

Early support can help improve communication skills and reduce frustration for children and families.