Baby Speech Development: What To Expect

Baby Speech Development:
What To Expect

In the beginning of baby speech development your child should reach certain milestones. Each day is different, but it is fun to watch them grow.

A baby goes from not even making eye contact and only crying... 

...to looking at you for the first time and surpising you with "Go?"

During the first 18 months, speech milestones are divided into two stages: 



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Child is Pre-Intentional: 0-8 Months

Children at this age do not do anything because they planned it!

They don't have the cognitive skills yet to create ideas in their minds and then act on them through planned actions. 

Child is Intentional but not Conventional: 9-18 Months (below)

Children at this age now do things intentionally. They will pick up objects and use them the right way.

They begin to say sounds and words on purpose because they now have meaning.

0-2 Months

Speech

  • Develops different cries to mean different things

  • Vowel like sounds

Feeding

  • Suckling on nipple for liquid

2-4 Months

Speech

  • Decrease in crying after 3 months

  • Say a few back sounds/consonants like (k, g)

  • Cooing and Gooing begin

  • Pleasure sounds like "mmmm"

Feeding

  • Suckling on nipple for liquid

4-6 Months

Speech

  • Laughter begins

  • Begin to copy other's sounds in back-and-forth babbling games

  • More vowel sounds and some more consonsants like (t, d, m, n)

  • Lip smacks and blowing raspberries begins

  • Playing with their voice and pitch begins usually during alone play

  • Extreme pitch changes like yells, squeals, and low growls

Feeding

  • True "sucking" develops

  • Eats purees while sitting

  • Brings hands to center of body

6-8 Months

Speech

  • Repetitive babbling begins (mama, dada, nunu)

  • Consistent pitch changes to mean certain things

Feeding

  • Verticle "munching" develops

  • Eats soft chewables

  • "Sippy" cup drinking

  • Side tongue movement is limited

  • Eats with fingers (reach, grasp, and hands to mouth developed)

  • Needs help with spoon


SEE ALSO: The Best Free App for Speech Therapy


Child is Intentional but not Conventional (9-18 Months)


8-10 Months

Speech

  • Exclamations appear such as "ooh!"

  • Early single consonant + vowel sounds appear (ba, bee, da, ma, go)

Feeding (9-12 Months)

  • Eats lumpy textures

  • Independent "sippy" cup drinking

  • Spoon and pincer grasp

10-12 Months

Speech

  • First word as early as 10-15 months

  • Non-repetitive babbling begins (ba-dee-ga-da, ba-di-do-go-bee-ba)

  • Sentence-like pitch changes while babbling

  • Uses Protowords: Consistent sound patterns to mean certain things

    Example: Child says "ba-wa" every time they want their blanket, not a real word but the child uses it consistently

Feeding (9-12 Months)

  • Eats lumpy textures

  • Independent "sippy" cup drinking

  • Spoon and pincer grasp

12-14 Months

Speech

  • First word as early as 10 - 15 months

  • Pat phrases begin such as "uh-oh", "ta-da", "all gone", "no no"

  • Jargon begins at 12-15 months and peaks at 18 months (when child tries to talk as fast as parents and it comes out as jibber-jabber, very expressive but not understandable)

Feeding (12-18 Months)

  • Eats all textures

  • Side tongue action increased

  • Straw drinking

  • Scoops food to mouth

  • Becomes more independent feeder

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14-16 Months

Speech

  • First word as early as 10 - 15 months

  • Jargon begins at 12 -15 months and peaks at 18 months (when child tries to talk as fast as parents and it comes out as jibber-jabber, very expressive but not understandable)

Feeding (12-18 Months)

  • Eats all textures

  • Side tongue action increased

  • Straw drinking

  • Scoops food to mouth

  • Becomes more independent feeder

SEE ALSO: The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

Speech therapy books for targeting multiple goals

16-18 Months

Speech

  • Jargon begins at 12-15 months and peaks at 18 months (when child tries to talk as fast as parents and it comes out as jibber-jabber, very expressive but not understandable)

Feeding (12-18 Months)

  • Eats all textures

  • Side tongue action increased

  • Straw drinking

  • Scoops food to mouth

  • Becomes more independent feeder


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