Milestones

These are the development changes expected as defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

 

What Should My Child Be Doing at Birth to Three Months?

Hearing & Understanding

  • Startles to loud sounds

  • Quiets or smiles when spoken to

  • Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if crying

  • Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to sound

Talking

  • Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, gooing)

  • Cries differently for different needs

  • Smiles when sees you

What should my child be doing at four to six months?

HEARING & UNDERSTANDING

  • Moves eyes in direction of sounds

  • Responds to changes in tone of your voice

  • Notices toys that make sounds

  • Pays attention to music

TALKING

  • Babbling sounds more speech-like with many different sounds, including p, b and m

  • Chuckles and laughs

  • Vocalizes excitement and displeasure

  • Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with you

What should my child be doing at seven months to one year?

HEARING & UNDERSTANDING

  • Enjoys games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake

  • Turns and looks in direction of sounds

  • Listens when spoken to

  • Recognizes words for common items like "cup", "shoe", "book", or "juice"

  • Begins to respond to requests (e.g. "Come here" or "Want more?")

TALKING

  • Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as "tata upup bibibibi"

  • Uses speech or noncrying sounds to get and keep attention

  • Uses gestures to communication (waving, holding arms to be picked up)

  • Imitates different speech sounds

  • Has one or two words (hi, dog,dada, mama) around first birthday, although sounds may not be clear

What should my child be doing at one to two years?

HEARING & UNDERSTANDING

  • Points to a few body parts when asked

  • Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ("Roll the ball," "Kiss the baby," "Where's your shoe?")

  • Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes

  • Points to pictures in a book when named

TALKING

  • Says more words every month

  • Uses some one- or two- word questions ("Where kitty?" "Go bye-bye?" "What's that?")

  • Puts two words together ("more cookie," "no juice," "mommy book")

  • Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words

What should my child be doing at two to three years?

HEARING & UNDERSTANDING

  • Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop," "in-on," "big-little," "up-down")

  • Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table")

  • Listens to and enjoys hearing stories for longer periods of time

TALKING

  • Has a word for almost everything

  • Uses two- or three- words to talk about and ask for things

  • Uses k, g, f, t, d, and n sounds

  • Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time

  • Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them

What should my child be doing at three to four years?

HEARING & UNDERSTANDING

  • Hears you when you call from another room

  • Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members

  • Answers simple "who?", "what?", "where?", and "why?" questions

TALKING

  • Talks about activities at school or at friends' homes

  • People outside of the family usually understand child's speech

  • Uses a lot of sentences that have 4 or more words

  • Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words

What should my child be doing at four to five years?

HEARING AND UNDERSTANDING

  • Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about them

  • Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school

TALKING

  • Uses sentences that give lots of details ("The biggest peach is mine")

  • Tells stories that stick to topic

  • Communicates easily with other children and adults

  • Says most sounds correctly except a few likel, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th

  • Says rhyming words

  • Names some letters and numbers

  • Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family