How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?

How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?


Every child is unique and has an individual rate of development. This chart represents, on average, the age by which most children will accomplish the listed skills. Children typically do not master all items in a category until they reach the upper age in each age range. Just because your child has not accomplished one skill within an age range does not mean the child has a disorder. However, if you have answered no to the majority of items in an age range, seek the advice of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist or audiologist. Use Find a Professional, ASHA's online directory of speech-language pathologists and audiologists to locate a practitioner near you.

Hearing and Understanding
Talking

Birth-3 Months
Startles to loud sounds.
Quiets or smiles when spoken to.
Seems to recognize your voice and quiets if crying.
Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to sound.
Birth-3 Months

Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, gooing).
Cries differently for different needs.
Smiles when sees you.

4-6 Months

Moves eyes in direction of sounds.
Responds to changes in tone of your voice.
Notices toys that make sounds.
Pays attention to music.
4-6 Months

Babbling sounds more speech-like with many different sounds, including p, b and m.
Vocalizes excitement and displeasure.
Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with you.

7 Months-1 Year

Enjoys games like peek-o-boo and pat-a-cake.
Turns and looks in direction of sounds.
Listens when spoken to.
Recognizes words for common items like "cup", "shoe," "juice."
Begins to respond to requests ("Come here," "Want more?").
7 Months-1 Year

Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as "tata upup bibibibi."
Uses speech or non-crying sounds to get and keep attention.
Imitates different speech sounds.
Has 1 or 2 words (bye-bye, dada, mama) although they may not be clear.

1-2 Years

Points to a few body parts when asked.
Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ("Roll the ball," "Kiss the baby," "Where's your shoe?").
Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
Points to pictures in a book when named.
1-2 Years

Says more words every month.
Uses some 1-2 word questions ("Where kitty?" "Go bye-bye?" "What's that?").
Puts 2 words together ("more cookie," "no juice," "mommy book").
Uses many different consonant sounds of the beginning of words.

2-3 Years

Understands differences in meaning ("go-stop," "in-on," "big-little," "up-down").
Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table.").
2-3 Years

Has a word for almost everything.
Uses 2-3-word "sentences" to talk about and ask for things.
Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.
Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.

3-4 Years

Hears you when call from another room.
Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members.
Understands simple, "who?," "what?," "where?," "why?" questions.
3-4 Years

Talks about activities at school or at friends' homes.
People outside family usually understand child's speech.
Uses a lot of sentences that have 4 or more words.
Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.

4-5 Years

Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it.
Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.
4-5 years

Voice sounds clear like other children's.
Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g. "I like to read my books").
Tells stories that stick to topic.
Communicates easily with other children and adults.
Says most sounds correctly except a few like l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th.
Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family.


Where to Get Help
If you think your child may have a speech, language, or hearing problem, you can contact an ASHA-certified

Audiologist: Audiologists are hearing care professionals who specialize in prevention, identification, and assessment of hearing and related disorders and provide treatment, rehabilitative services, and assistive devices.
Speech-language pathologist. Speech-language pathologists help people develop their communication abilities as well as treat speech, languages, swallowing, and voice disorders. Their services include prevention, identification, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation.
ASHA-certified speech-language pathologists and audiologists have completed their master's or doctoral degree and have earned ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).

Speech-Language pathologists and audiologists work in many different types of facilities such as:
Public and private schools
Colleges and universities
Hospitals
Private practices
Rehabilitation centers
State and local health departments
Nursing care facilities
State and federal government agencies
Industry