Early Speech Milestones
- Babbling or vocal play (e.g., “ba-ba,” “ma-ma” sounds) by 10 months
- First words by 12 months
- Eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions
- Responds to sounds and name
Signs of a Late Talker
- Fewer than 50 words by 18 months
- Not combining words by 2.5 years
- Limited understanding of language
- Frustration or tantrums related to communication
- Regression in speech or language
If you are concerned, we will assess your child’s overall communication abilities, including understanding of language (receptive language), ability to express themselves (expressive language), and speech sound development.
Therapy
If your child is having trouble with meeting these milestones on assessment we will recommend a course of therapy to help aid development. This includes evidence based treatments such as Hanen’s It Takes Two to Talk program or similar approaches that can help your child to learn more words and equip you with the skills to do this.
