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Developmental Milestones: Early Language Learning

Children learn so much during their first three years, but few developmental processes are as exciting to watch as an infant's first steps toward communication. And like so many fundamental skills young children acquire, learning about language begins from day one.

Defining Speech and Language
That's not to say you should start teaching your child to speak before she learns to crawl. In fact, say the experts, speech and language are two very different things. Language, says Rick McKinnon, a pediatric speech language pathologist in Olympia, Washington, and author of Talking with Toddlers: A Handbook for Parents of Children with Communication Delay (available online), is like a word processing program on your computer. It's the basic knowledge necessary to process communication. Speech, he says, is like a printer: It's the "physical implementation of language."

Wynne Williams, a speech language pathologist in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, and creator of The Baby Society language development DVD, elaborates further, describing both receptive and expressive language. "Receptive language is what you're taking in," she says. "It's your ability to understand or recognize or interpret what you're hearing, whereas expressive language is how you express yourself, the type of vocabulary you use and how you put words together." Because receptive language develops first, she notes, a baby understands and recognizes words and objects before he can express his understanding. Speech, says Williams, the last to develop, "is basically how you say your sounds."

With infants and toddlers, language development is key.

Encouraging Early Language Development
Parents encourage healthy language development in any number of ways, many of which come naturally when we interact with our babies. Consider the tips below from Williams and McKinnon to foster your baby's language development through enjoyable, everyday activities.

Mimic Baby's Coos: When your baby begins to babble, says Williams, parrot back the sounds you hear to foster her interest in communication. "It's like all of a sudden the lights go on and they think, 'Hey, somebody is really surprised and happy that I'm making these sounds so I'm going to keep doing it!' They start to make a connection between sounds and language and people's responses to it. It really encourages language development."

Talk to Your Baby: Although your infant can't reply with words, talking to him stimulates healthy language development. Talk about what you're doing, what your baby is doing, and what you see and hear. Keep it simple at first, adding details as your baby's understanding increases. Expose your baby to a variety of environments and talk to him about the new things he's experiencing. When your little one does begin to use words, rephrase what he says to show him you value his thoughts and to reinforce the skills he's developing. "If your child says 'Mommy eat,'" says Williams, "acknowledge your understanding and expand by saying, 'Yes, Mommy is eating a cookie.'"

Focus on Your Child's Interests: "The thing that will engage children most actively in language is if the things you talk about are actually what they are interested in," says McKinnon. "It's very important to observe what their games are--what are they playing, what are they doing, what are they interested in--and talk about that." Williams developed The Baby Society DVD with that in mind, focusing on images and vocabulary that are familiar to infants and toddlers.

Read to Your Baby: Share books and stories with your baby from an early age. Point to objects in a book and say the name, says Williams, or have toddlers point out an object when you name it. McKinnon suggests parents talk with children about stories and play with storytelling. Encourage your little ones to make up new stories, rearrange old favorites, and talk about how you could change the story and what events might follow.

Watch the Tube Together: Williams believes that videos can be an engaging way to entertain and educate young children and she offers parents tips for watching with their children to maximize the experience. "Pause the video at times to comment," she says, "repeat vocabulary words, and make eye contact with your baby to show shared interest." Name the objects you see on screen as you would with a favorite picture book. Encourage your child to play along with the video by making animals sounds, dancing, or mimicking gestures she sees on screen. Point out things your child sees on television and in videos that they've seen in your home and neighborhood.

Respect Your Baby's Comfort Level: Challenging your little one to expand his vocabulary and increase his language skills works well when development is on schedule, but a child experiencing delays can become frustrated if pushed too quickly. "Children that are experiencing delay," says McKinnon, "need simplification of language to meet them at the level they're at and bring them along gradually." If your child doesn't seem engaged in language play--or if he appears frustrated--slow down a bit until he becomes more comfortable.

Minding The Milestones
Because children develop at remarkably different rates, parents often have concerns about their babies' development. "I spend a lot of time talking with parents and (explaining to) them what the milestones are to give them some perspective on where their children should be," says McKinnon. While every child must be allowed to develop at his or her own pace, Williams and McKinnon agree there are some milestones parents should expect:

1 to 3 Months: As every parent knows, during the first months of life infants communicate primarily by crying. They recognize their primary caregiver's voice and turn toward that voice. They make cooing sounds and smile in response to others' smiles, and they make eye contact with other people and begin to track objects with their eyes.

4 to 6 Months: Babies begin to make more sounds at this age, using two or more syllables and imitating sounds made by others. They recognize familiar faces and explore objects with their mouths. During this time, adds Williams, "babies will exhibit interest in cause and effect activities."

7 to 9 Months: Babies participate in shared activities like peek-a-boo and understand simple directions like "Get the ball" and "Clap hands."

10 to 12 Months: "Babies now understand the concept of object permanence," says Williams, "the knowledge that something still exists even though they can't see it anymore." This is the time to look for baby's first words (will it be "Mama," "Dada," or "No!"?). They understand, "No," and can point to some objects when named.

12 to 18 Months: Toddlers at this age identify some parts of their own bodies. They wave "bye bye" (although they often need prompting) and they should be saying at least a few words.

By 24 Months: Children at this age have a vocabulary of about 250 words, says Williams, and begin to combine words into phrases.

When To Seek Advice
"For most children language happens very fast," notes McKinnon, "but there is a wide range of variation in development. Some children are a little bit slower than others and that's just something about their own developmental path." Very young children, he adds, will adapt sounds when they begin to speak, leaving off the ends of words, for example, or substituting one letter sound for another. "Instead of saying 'doggie' they'll say 'goggie' or 'doddie' or all kinds of substitutions," he explains. "Those are completely typical for young children, especially before two."

So how does a parent know when to be concerned, when to seek a professional evaluation? With infants, says McKinnon, look for simple social cues such as making eye contact, playing reciprocal games like peek-a-boo, imitating sounds you make, and reaching and pointing at objects. "Those are some things that should be happening and are precursors to language," he says.

If a child doesn't say any words by 18 months or any phrases by 2 years, Williams adds, parents should seek the advice of an expert. Children who often respond inappropriately to questions or seem to have an inconsistent or reduced understanding of language also might be showing signs of delay. Other signs that a child should be evaluated include frustration with language or communication, dropping previously learned words from their vocabulary, and the absence of new sounds developing, says Williams. Parents, she adds, shouldn't be the only ones who can understand their child.

"If a child is around two and (the parents) think there is a problem," says Williams, "I would say take the child for an evaluation (by a speech language pathologist)." Parental instincts are usually on target when it comes to a child's language development, she says, and the earlier a problem is identified, the easier it will be to treat.

A Shared Experience
When it comes to early language learning, remember to have fun! Talk with your baby, play with your baby, read with your baby, and share new experiences with your baby whenever you can. And when it comes to seeking advice about possible language delays, trust your instincts: Listen to your little one and listen to your gut.

At Baby Classroom, we know babies have a lot to communicate! That's why we offer a full line of early language development products to help you encourage your little one's language development from the very beginning. Check out some of our favorite books and DVDs to get your baby excited about language today: