Your baby’s first words are one of the most exciting milestones of growing up. So, when do babies start talking?
From this article you will learn what time children begin to speak, what stages the development of speech consists of and how to talk to your child.
First words: when to expect
All children develop language at their own pace. There is no strict rule when a child must say the first word. Often, but not always, this happens closer to the baby’s first birthday. Most babies start talking in the peroid of 12-18 months of age.
The vocabulary of a one-year-old child grows very slowly, but by the age of two, the pace can accelerate – by that time, many children (but by no means all) know several dozen words and can make a two-word sentence.
How do babies learn to say their first words?
Even a non-speaking child actually understands more than you think. The baby also communicates successfully in a variety of ways: crying to let you know he’s hungry, cooing when he’s happy, pointing at a toy he wants and turning away from food he doesn’t like.
Such communication with gestures and sounds is the foundation for the development of speech.
Young children learn to speak by listening to adults and older children speak. To all other sounds, babies prefer the human voice, and the most favorite and soothing sound is the voice of their parents.
The baby is often especially attentive to high voices. You may have noticed that you use a higher tone when talking to a child than when talking to adults. High tone, expressive articulation and facial expressions arouse interest in the child and contribute to the development of speech.
Stages of speech development in a child
The steps below are just a guideline. Your baby may demonstrate language-related abilities sooner or later than indicated. If you are concerned about whether the baby is developing at a healthy pace and how to talk to the child, consult a pediatrician.
Speech development: 1–3 months
In a month, the child will recognize your voice, regardless of whether you are in the same room or not. When he sees you, he can smile and hum: he understands that sounds and facial expressions are a way to interact with you.
Around two months old, the baby can begin to walk and make vowel sounds like “ah-ah” or “ooh-ooh”. Repeat after the child, adding a few simple words and involving the baby in a kind of conversation.
Speech development: 4–7 months
At this age, the baby can babble something in his own language. Between the ages of four and seven months, your baby may repeat syllables like “ma-ma-ma” and “boo-boo-boo.”
By listening to your voice throughout the day, the baby learns to distinguish when you are going to feed him, change his diaper or go for a walk with him.
It may take a year or more before you can distinguish any simple words in your baby’s babble. But do not forget that the child understands much of what you say even before he utters his first words.
Speech development: 8–12 months
The baby can begin to combine syllables and pronounce “mommy”, “daddy”, “tata”, etc. Soon, by your joyful reaction, he will understand that these words have a special meaning.
By the age of 1, 2 or 3, conscious words may appear in the baby’s vocabulary. But keep in mind that the speech of most babies at this age is something slurred.
Speech development: 13–24 months
At this age, your toddler already understands speech very well – for example, what does it mean “time for bed” or “let’s go to the park.”
During this year, the baby will become more receptive to your instructions and requests, and maybe even make a few sentences of two or three words.
With children at this age, it is already possible to speak in the usual “adult” voice. Keep using short words and phrases when talking to your child.
But do not forget that all children develop speech at their own pace. Sometimes children do not speak at all even closer to two years, but later they catch up with their more talkative peers.
When a baby learns to speak, he may have his own versions of the pronunciation of some words, which only you can understand. For example, if your child says “ko” when seeing a cat, repeat the whole word – “cat”. This will help him learn to speak.
How to talk a child
Here are some tips for getting your child to talk:
- Talk to him more. The first words for babies are those that they hear from adults who care for them. By talking to your baby, you teach him new words and stimulate his speech.
Comment on your activities during the day, even if it sounds silly to you, for example: “And now mommy is washing the blue cup.” When you are in a new place or on a walk, tell your baby about the new things for him that he sees around.
For example: “Look, this is a bird, and this is a yellow flower!” You can say out loud the parts of the body when you change your baby’s diaper and the clothes you change into.
- Maintain communication. Show respect for the child’s interest and let him choose what to talk about. For example, if he looks at a dog and babbles something, talk to him about the dog – point to the dog and say: “Dog.”
- Focus on daily rituals. Accompany comments on daily bathing, meals and reading books. The kid will gradually learn the key words and phrases associated with these activities.
- Adapt your speech. To help your baby’s language development, speak slowly, use short sentences, and give him a chance to repeat after you when he’s ready.
A game form will help the child memorize the names of objects, for example: “Here is your ball. Let’s hide the ball.” If the baby is pointing at the ball, you can ask, “Do you want a ball?”
Using complete sentences, you not only clarify what exactly the baby is trying to say, but also help him gradually master the principle of constructing a sentence.
If the child does not speak
Some children develop speech faster, while others may take longer to start talking. A toddler of speaking age (one to two years old) who does not speak is capable of knowing as many words as a child who has spoken, but simply not wanting to use them. The reason may be natural shyness.
It is also believed that girls develop speech faster than boys.
If it still seems to you that the baby is lagging behind in speech development, do not ignore it – share your observations with the pediatrician.
Speech delays respond well to treatment. The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner your child will get the care he needs. It is worth showing it to such specialists as an otorhinolaryngologist, a pediatric dentist and a neurologist.
If, according to the conclusion of the doctors, the baby is healthy, but his speech does not correspond to his age, then the next step may be a trip to a speech therapist.
Your doctor may also recommend seeing a hearing specialist or speech pathologist.
While you’re eager to hear your baby’s first words as soon as possible, it’s best to be patient. The child will start talking when he is ready for it.
Your role is to talk to the baby, thereby teaching and inspiring him to speak. One day he will say the first word, and then another and another. Before you have time to look around, he will turn into a little why and will bombard you with questions.