Developmental stages of a childs speech and language differently, even within the same family. In most cases, children learn linguistic skills as a natural part of their development. There are a number of milestones which can provide a general indication of how a child is developing.
Healthy speech and language development are dependent on the ability to hear. A child who does not react to noises or who does not develop their language abilities properly may have hearing difficulties. You can determine if your child has hearing problems by reviewing the following age-specific recommendations.
How developmental stages of a childs Speech and Language
During early childhood, the most important time for developing verbal skills and language occurs when the brain is developing and growing. As a result, these abilities thrive in an environment where there are a variety of sounds, images, and regular exposure to the speech and language of other people.
The linguistic capacity of the brain is at its peak in infants and young children during these critical phases of speech and language development. The learning process will be more challenging if these crucial intervals go by without any exposure to the language.
Milestones for speech and language development
The earliest communication signs appear when a baby realizes that crying will bring comfort and food. Newborns are also able to detect important sounds around them, including their mother’s or caregiver’s voice. When babies become older, they begin to classify the words in their language. As early as six months of age, infants can recognize the basic sounds in their mother tongue language.
There is a wide range of rates at which children acquire speech and language abilities. Nevertheless, the development of linguistic abilities follows a natural sequence or schedule. Below you will find a list of benchmarks relating to language and speech abilities in children from newborns up to age five.
Medical practitioners use these benchmarks to determine whether a child is on track or whether more support may require. Hearing loss and speech or language difficulties can sometimes contribute to a delay.
From birth to five months
- It’s coos
- Displeasure and pleasure sound different
- Talks loudly when spoken to
Between six to eleven months
- Knows what a no-no is
- Says ba-ba-ba while babbles
- Frequently says ma-ma without meaning
- Communicates through actions or gestures
- Attempts to repeat your sounds
- First words are said
Between twelve to seventh months
- Provides nonverbal answers to simple questions
- Labels a person or object in two to three words
- Imitates simple words
- Four to six words in vocabulary
Eighteen to twenty three months
- 50 words, unclear pronunciation
- Names common foods
- Makes animal sounds, like moo
- Combining words, such as more milk
- Uses pronouns, such as mine
- Two-word phrases
Between two to three years
- Understands some spatial concepts, such as in and on
- Pronouns such as you, me, and her are known
- Understands descriptive words
- Makes use of three-word sentences
- Speech is getting better, but still leaves off endings.
- Strangers may not understand much of what is being said.
- Provides simple answers to questions
- Asks for something with question inflection, such as my ball
- Starts using plurals, such as shoes or socks
- Verbs in the past tense, such as jumped
A period of five years
- Knows what happened first, second, and third in a time sequence
- Follows three directions
- Rhyming skills
- Communicates with others
- Eight or more words can be used in a sentence
- Complicated and compound sentences are used
- Objects are described
- Creates stories using imagination
What is the difference between a speech disorder and a language disorder?
Those who have difficulties understanding receptive language, their ability to understand what others are saying, may have a language disorder. A person who has difficulty communicating his or her thoughts may have a language disorder. Developmental language disorders delay language skills. DLD children may not begin speaking until their third or fourth year of life.
Speech disorders commonly cause children to stutter, hesitate, or have difficulty producing correct speech sounds.Combining sounds and syllables in words can be challenging when you have apraxia of speech.
How do voice, speech, and language differ?
The way we communicate with each other is through voice, language and speech.
Voice
A voice is a sound which provides the vibration of the vocal folds. Nevertheless, it is caused by the movement of air from our lungs.
Language
Language is a system of accepted rules that enables individuals to express their ideas effectively. It is possible to communicate a language verbally, in writing, by signing, or by using other gestures such as blinking or moving the mouth.
Speech
Language is expressed through speech, which includes talking. In order to produce the distinct sounds that make up language. In addition, it requires the coordinated action of the tongue, lips, and vocal tract.
If my childs speech appears delayed, what should I do?
You should consult a physician if you have any concerns about your child. Your physician may recommend that you seek the assistance of a speech-language pathologist, a medical professional trained to assess and treat individuals with speech or language disorders.
The speech therapist will discuss the child overall development and communication with you. Furthermore, he or she will assess your child using particular spoken tests.
Due to the fact that hearing impairments can affect speech and language development, a hearing test is frequently included in the evaluation process. Depending on the evaluation’s findings, a pathologist may suggest home activities to help you encourage the child’s development.
A medical specialist trained to detect and quantify hearing loss. Moreover, a developmental psychologist may also be suggested.
