Hearing/Understanding
​
0 – 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
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
7 – 12 Months
-
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?”)
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
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.”)
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
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
Talking
0 – 3 Months
-
Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, gooing)
-
Cries differently for different needs
-
Smiles when sees you
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 – 12 Months
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Voice sounds clear like other children’s
-
Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g. “I like to read my books”)
-
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
Sound Development
Age Levels
The bar corresponding to each sound starts at the median age of customary articulation. It stops at an age level at which 90% of all children are customarily producing the sound. The ages of expected development of production of certain consonants and vowels is shown in the chart:
