Watch for Signs of Speech or Language Delay

The Basics

The first 3 years of your child’s life are the most important for learning to talk. Watch for signs that your child is learning to talk on schedule.

How do children learn to talk?
Children learn to talk by watching, listening, and responding to people around them.

In the first few months, your baby listens to your voice and tries to make the same sounds you do. When you respond to your baby’s sounds, you encourage your child to “talk” more. As your child grows older, he will learn more and more words.

The Basics

How do I know my child is learning to talk on schedule?
You can watch for signs (called developmental milestones) to see if your child is learning to talk on schedule. Here are some milestones to look for:

• By age 6 months, your baby can repeat sounds like “ba, ba” or “da, da.”
• By age 1, your child can say a few simple words.
• By age 18 months, your child can say several single words.
• By age 2, your child can put words together like “more milk.”
• By age 3, your child can talk using 2 to 3 sentences at a time.

The Basics

What if my child isn’t talking on schedule?
Many things can cause a delay in talking, like:

• Hearing problems
• Problems with the tongue or roof of the mouth
• A problem in the part of the brain used for talking

If you think your child could have a speech or language problem, talk to her doctor. The doctor may send your child to a specialist for help.

The best way to help your child with language delays is to find and treat problems early. With early treatment, there is a good chance your child’s speech and language can improve.

Take Action!

You can help your child learn to talk. Try these tips with your child.

Talk to your child.
Beginning at birth, talk and sing to your child. This will help your child learn to make sounds.

• Respond to your child’s words and sounds. For example, your child might point to a banana and say “ee, ee.” You can respond by asking, “Do you want to EAT the banana?”
• Use words as well as hand signals or signs. Using both together can help your child understand what you mean.
• Talk to your child throughout the day. As you walk around your house, name things and describe what you are doing.
• Always respond to your child’s questions.
• Don’t talk baby talk. Speak real words to your child.

Take Action!

Read to your child, starting as early as age 6 months.
Listening to you read aloud can help your baby learn sounds. Reading can also help her understand language and learn new words as she gets older.

Choose books with:

• Big pictures in bright colors
• Simple stories
• Numbers and counting, the alphabet, shapes, or sizes
• Rhymes

To get your child more involved, talk or sing about the pictures as you read.

• Point to the pictures and name what you see.
• Ask your child to point to things on the page.
• As your child gets older, ask her questions about the story.

Check out these tips on Creating a Reader-Friendly Home.

Take Action!

Watch for developmental milestones.
Babies and young children develop at their own pace. These checklists of developmental milestones can give you a general idea of what your child will be learning at each stage.

• 2 months
• 6 months
• 1 year
• 2 years
• 3 years
• 4 years
• 5 years

Get more developmental milestones for ages 2 months to 5 years.

Take Action!

If you have concerns, talk with your child’s doctor.
If you have concerns about your child meeting a developmental milestone, talk to your child’s doctor or nurse.

What about cost?
Developmental screenings are covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get your child screened at no cost to you.

Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.