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.