21 Jun 2018 | 7 min Read
Sindhu Vinod Narayan
Author | 15 Articles
The most demanding period for acquiring speech and language skills is the first 3 years of life, when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills are best developed in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent exposure to the speech and language of others.
There are certain critical periods for speech and language development in infants and young children. This is the period when the brain is best able to absorb language. If these periods are missed without exposure to language, it will lead to learning difficulties.
Milestones for speech and language development
When an infant learns that a cry will bring food, comfort, and company that is when the first signs of communication occurs. Newborn babies begin to recognize key sounds in their environment, such as the voice of their mother or primary caretaker. Babies begin to sort out the speech sounds that compose the words of their language as they progress in growth. Most babies recognize the basic sounds of their native language by 6 months of age.
The development of speech and language skills in children differs. They follow a natural advancement or timetable for mastering the skills of language. There are certain milestones which help doctors and professionals determine if a child is on track or if the child may need extra help. Sometimes a delay may be caused by hearing loss, while other times it may be due to a speech or language disorder.
How to nurture your baby’s language development?
Language development varies considerably between children, even within the same family. However, they tend to follow a natural progression for mastering the skills of language and there are certain ‘milestones’ that can be identified as a rough guide to normal development.
Children develop their speech at an individual rate but there are certain milestones to be aware of.
Development of speech over time
Babies need to learn how language sounds before being able to learn how to speak.
Although children improve at their own rate, there are some general patterns:
How can parents help?
Who is a late talker?
A “Late Talker” is a toddler (between 18-30 months) who has good understanding of language, typically developing play skills, motor skills, thinking skills, and social skills, but has a limited spoken vocabulary for his or her age.
When to seek medical help?
By 12 months, your child is not trying to communicate with you (using sounds, gestures and/or words), particularly when needing help or wanting something
By 2 years, your child has not started combining words.
If your child hasn’t mastered most of the speech and language development milestones for his or her age or you’re concerned about any aspect of your child’s development seek help immediately. Speech delays occur for many reasons, including hearing loss and developmental disorders. Depending on the circumstances, your child’s doctor might refer your child to a hearing specialist or a speech-language pathologist.
In the meantime, talk to your child about what you’re doing and where you’re going. Sing songs and read together. Teach your child to imitate actions, such as clapping, and to say animal sounds. Practice counting. Show your child that you’re pleased when he or she speaks. Listen to your child’s sounds and repeat them back to him or her. These steps can encourage your child’s speech and language development.
Encouraging your toddler to talk
Talk to your toddler as much as possible as you go about your daily routine and when you are out and about. The more you talk to your toddler, the newer words she’ll learn, and the better she’ll get at talking.
Chat to your toddler as you change diapers, feed, or bathe her. But make sure you give give her time to respond with a smile or eye-to-eye contact. Use everyday activities to help your toddler to make connections between actions and objects and the words that represent them. Point out things you see when you’re out and about.
Simplify your speech when you talk to your toddler. Use short sentences and emphasize key words. This will help your toddler to focus on the important information.
Try talking to your toddler from time to time in sentences that are about one word longer than the sentences she is using. So if your child uses two-word sentences, use lots of three-word and four-word sentences when talking back to her. For example, if your toddler says “a bird”, you could say, “yes, a big bird.”
You can increase your child’s vocabulary by giving her choices, such as “Do you want an apple or a pear?”. You could even show your child both an apple and a pear. This helps your toddler to store a picture of the word in her mind.
It will help your toddler to learn how to talk if you make time to sit in front of her and talk to her. You could even sit in front of her when you read a book, rather than have her on your lap, so she can watch you talking.
Look at books with your toddler regularly. Even if you don’t follow the story as it unfolds, your toddler will learn by listening to you talk about the pictures.
So, mommies get going and do the talking.
Also read: Teething Chart In Children: Know Which Pearly White Will Erupt When
#babygrowthanddevelopment #developmentalmilestones #languagedevelopment
A
Suggestions offered by doctors on BabyChakra are of advisory nature i.e., for educational and informational purposes only. Content posted on, created for, or compiled by BabyChakra is not intended or designed to replace your doctor's independent judgment about any symptom, condition, or the appropriateness or risks of a procedure or treatment for a given person.