Children’s Milestones in Speech and Language – birth to 3 years - Perth Speech Therapy

Is My Child Speech / Language Developing Normally?

Many parents phone concerned about their child’s speech and language.

Initially, parents should be advised by a Speech Pathologist to see an ENT to have their child’s hearing tested.

There are milestones that are used as the general guide:
By 2 Months a child:

should begin smiling at familiar and unfamiliar people as they respond to facial gestures.
should react in some manner to loud noises.
will turn its head to a familiar voice (mother / father)
track objects with its eyes.
Cry

By 4 months a child:

Should smile at people
Should interact with people with eye / hand movement (e.g. Attempt to reach for a toy).
Should cry with different tones: when hungry/ tired / when left alone
Should be beginning to babble
Start to copy the babble that is used by an adult

By 6 months a child:

By 9 months a child;

By 1 year a child:

Makes sounds / gestures to communicate (e.g. shakes head for ‘no’).
Uses variation in voice for different needs.
Is beginning to say ‘mamma’ and ‘dadda’
Is able to track where objects have been hidden
Should begin to look at books and focus on specific objects on the page when pointed to

By 18 months a child:

Should be saying several single words (mumma/ dadda) or at least making approximations of the intended word (bottle (bobo)
Can articulate the words ‘yes’ / ‘no’ clearly.
Move his / her head appropriately for ‘yes’ / ‘no’.
Point to objects he may want
Will put his / her hands up to communicate that he /s he wants to be picked up.
Can pretend play (e.g. picks up phone and babbles)
Can follow a 1 step instruction (e.g. get cup/ suit down/ stand up/ clap hands).

By 2 years a child:

Should have a vocabulary of between 300 to 1000 words
Should be speaking in 2 to 4 words sentences.
Can follow simple 1 -2 step instructions (get your shoes and come to the door).
Can identify objects in a book through pointing.
Can naming common objects or making their associated noise (e.g. ‘cow’ or the child may point to the animal and say, “moo’)
Should be showing curiosity
Should be copying simple words
Should know the names of the main body parts and point to them oh his/ her own body and another body.
Should be making eye contact
Should be able to tap / gesture to get a person’s attention
Should be able to hear and learn the intonation for nursery rhymes and join in
Is beginning to complete simple peg puzzles
Should be able to join in the cants found in fairy tales ( e.g “Fi -FI-FO FUM….”.)

By 2 ½ years a child:

Should have a vocabulary of 5000 words.
This age is when children’s vocabulary explodes and is a significant time for language development.

By 3 years a child:

Should be able to follow 2-3 step instruction (e.g. get your lunch box, drink bottle and pit them in your bag).
Should have a vocabulary of over 5000 words
Make eye contact; parallel play with peers; engage in turn taking conversation.
Copy adults and peers.
Can listen to a 10-minute story.
Can answer Blank Level 1 & 2 (comprehension)
Should be able to name common shapes and colours
Should be able to speak in whole sentences that are mainly grammatically correct.
Should be able to be understaood 75% of the time by familiar listeners and 50% by unfamiliar listeners.
Can join in chants and nursery rhymes.
Should be able to understand propositional language ( e.g. ‘in’ ‘on’ ‘under’)
Should be able to communicate needs and wants

An amazing website to find out more information on typically developing milestones in children from birth to three years is:

Children’s Milestones in Speech and Language – birth to 3 years