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Hearing your child say “mama” or “dada” for the first time is a big moment for any parent. But how do you know if your little one is developing speech adequately? Stephanie Coe, speech language pathologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, identifies some milestones to help parents pinpoint possible learning delays.
What is the average age range for children to begin communicating through speech?
Children usually begin using single words at 12 months old. By 18 months, children often have 10 to 20 single words in their vocabulary. By 24 months, children can have 200 or more single words and will begin to put two-word combinations together. Common letter sounds that children between 1 and 2 years old often use include p, b, m, t, h and w.
Caregiver strategies to encourage speech and language development
Here are some simple and effective ways parents can support their child’s language and speech development:
- Books: Put books in toy bins to encourage your child to interact with books and read books daily with your child, describing pictures on the page. Children love to read the same books over and over; this is okay and helps children learn.
- Play: Sit on the floor and play with your child. Engage in pretend play such as feeding a favorite stuffed animal. Name objects, animal sounds, describe actions, “car goes fast,” as you play.
- Talk: During typical daily activities, such as bath time, snack time and getting dressed, describing what you are doing. For example, “wash your hair” or “Mommy/Daddy is putting on your sock.”
- Imitate your child’s sounds and words: If your child says one word, expand to add another. For example, child says “doggie”, you can say “I see a big doggie.” This affirms that the child is heard and provides a model of language.
How does hearing affect my child's speech?
Hearing directly affects speech. A child learns to speak by hearing other people speak. Without adequate hearing, their speech will most likely be delayed and a child may never achieve average speech and language development. It is best to address any hearing issues as soon as possible. Studies show that if not detected and rehabilitated early, hearing loss can lead to learning and social difficulties. Since 1993, 43 of 50 states have implemented mandatory hearing screening of newborns. This has helped us detect hearing loss early and prescribe medical devices like hearing aids or cochlear implants prior to the development of speech. Since hearing loss is so common in children, recognizing the symptoms in your child is very important.
When should parents consult their child’s pediatrician or a speech language pathologist?
Contact your pediatrician when the above signs are not seen. Along with speech, they can screen your child’s understanding and use of language.
- At 12 months, your child should be pointing to objects you name, making gestures and recognizing their name.
- By 18 to 20 months, your child should also be following simple directions.
- If a 24-month-old child uses less than 50 single words and is not beginning to put two-word combinations together, parents or guardians may want to seek advice.
If these skills are not yet emerging, your pediatrician may refer your child for a full evaluation with a speech language pathologist. For children under 4 years old, we perform a hearing evaluation to rule out any hearing loss as a factor of speech and language delays.
Quick resources
Speech milestones for your child
| Age | Your child should be |
|---|---|
| 3 months | Making sounds like “coo” |
| 4 to 6 months | Engaging in vocal play and babble sounds |
| 7 months to 1 year | Babbling consonant-vowel combinations with varied sounds; using intonation that resembles familiar words |
| 12 to 18 months | Using single words; building a vocabulary of 10-20 words by 18 months; mixing consonants and vowels in speech; words may be unclear or imperfect. |
| 2 to 3 years old | Using about 150 to 200 words; understanding simple questions and directions; using pronouns (me, you, I) but may still mix them up; may stutter or repeat words or sounds; by 3 years old, forming 2 to 3 word sentences and understood by a stranger 75% of the time |
| 3 to 4 years old | Using approximately 1,000 words; answering simple questions; speaking in 4 to 6 word sentences; speaking clearly enough so most people can understand them; starting to tell stories |
Hearing milestones for your child
| Age | Your child should be |
|---|---|
| Birth to 3 months old | Startled by loud sounds; calmed by familiar voices; crying differently for different needs; making pleasure sounds |
| 4 to 6 months | Moving toward sound; paying attention to music; chuckling and laughing; vocalizing excitement and displeasure more |
| 7 months to 1 year | Responding to name; recognizing words for common items; mimicking sounds; speaking one or two meaningful words around child's first birthday |
| 1 to 2 years | Following simple commands; listening to simple stories; saying more words every month; putting two words together |
| 2 to 3 years | Following two requests; using a word for almost everything; understood by familiar listeners most of the time |
| 3 to 4 years | Hearing when called from a different room; hearing television or radio at same loudness level as you do; using four sentences at the same time that have four or more words |
It’s important to remember that every child develops at their own pace. Try not to compare one child’s development to their siblings or other children. Focus on steady growth over time. Engaging with your child at home to encourage these skills can be powerful for language development. If your child is not hitting these milestones, speak with your pediatrician.
Learn more about audiology, speech and learning care at Children's Colorado.
Featured expert
Stephanie Coe
Speech language pathologist
