Developing Your Baby’s Speech and Language Skills
Here at Rocketship, we’re experts in pediatric physical therapy, but we know there are so many facets to a child’s development. Just as you do for your children, we always want to take a holistic view of this growth. That’s why we reach out to other experts we respect to get you the information we all need.
One of those aspects of growth that we were wondering about this week? Speech and language. It can be hard to know whether your baby is on track with her language skills, since so much is going on “behind the scenes,” in her amazing little brain.
We recently spoke with Kristen Richardson, an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist, to talk about how to encourage language development for our littlest babes, the best toys for learning to talk, and what to do if you feel like your baby is reaching his milestones.
Hi, Kristen! Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today.
No problem! I’m always happy to talk about this subject.
And we love having your insights! I’m going to jump right in. How can a caregiver encourage language development with a newborn or infant?
Getting down on your baby’s level and using good eye contact when they’re cooing and babbling is important. Also, babbling and making noises back at them is helpful. This helps them learn that communication is a two-way street. Respond when your baby makes faces and imitate the faces back to them. Also, narrate everything you do! Lastly, reading to your baby and pointing to objects in the book as you label them is a great way to encourage receptive and expressive language development.
Narrating everything you’re doing is a tip I’ve heard before, but it can feel strange for lots of parents. Is it really worth that strange feeling?
It sounds silly but constantly talking and pointing out what you’re doing is great for language development! The more words a baby hears, the better!
Are there certain products or toys you recommend for this early stage of language development?
My first answer will always be BOOKS! You can never have enough books in your home. Also, believe it or not, my favorite toys for this stage are simple toys that do not light up or make lots of noise. It’s easy to get sucked in and want to buy flashy toys for our kids, but toys such as nesting cups, stacking rings, blocks, cars, ball towers, and mirrors are the best toys to encourage language development. For example, when playing with nesting cups, you can target concepts like big/bigger, small/smaller, on top, inside, tall, high, or short, as well as verbs such as stack, put, crash, or fall down. The possibilities are endless!
Are there certain products or activities you veer caregivers away from at this stage?
Like I mentioned above, flashy toys that have an “on/off” switch might be best to stay away from at an early stage. However, I am a mom of two and do have lots of electronic toys for my kids—and they are developing just fine! If you are having your child play with those toys, make sure you are engaging with them and talking about what they’re doing. Tell your baby, “I’m pushing the button. The toy is on now. Ohhh, bright lights!” Always labeling and narrating what is happening around you is key!
At what age will our babies start to make sounds, and what will those sounds probably be?
The first sound productions you will hear from your baby will be vowel sounds, which we call “cooing.” You will most likely hear a baby start to coo between six to eight weeks of age. Babbling, which is the use of reduplicated consonant sounds without meaning, like bababa, usually occurs around six to nine months of age. Sounds that are most visible and easiest to say will develop first. These sounds are usually bilabial sounds, or sounds made with both the lips, such as b, p, and m. Other easier sounds to produce, like h, d, and n, may appear in your child’s sound repertoire in those months, as well.
Is smiling and giggling part of language development? When might that happen?
Around six to eight weeks, babies will start to have a “social smile,” which means their smile is no longer reflexive and they are smiling in response to stimuli. It is a very exciting time for you and your baby because they are FINALLY showing you some intentional emotion and letting you know they are pleased with what is happening around them. It is a big step for pragmatic (social) language development.
Will my baby’s first word be mama or dada or doggie or apple? When will those first words come?
First words differ for every child, but you will most likely hear your child’s first word around 12 months (sometimes sooner, sometimes later - usually between 11-13 months). It is important to note that for a word to be considered a “first,” it has to be meaningful. For example, around eight or nine months, a baby may start stringing together consonant and vowel sounds, such as mama and dada, but they most likely don’t know what those words mean. They are probably just babbling and engaging in vocal play. A true first word is meaningful and has purpose. The word will most likely be an approximation, like “ba” for ball, and words with earlier developing phonemes (sounds) will probably appear first. Words such as “doggy” and “apple” are much more linguistically complex than “mama” or “dada”, so easier words or sounds will most likely be spoken first.
Sometimes I hear parents asking their infants questions constantly. Is this how I should start developing language?
It’s great to use a lot of pragmatic functions when talking to your child. You shouldn’t only ask questions, although asking questions can be a great tool. You should be demonstrating a variety of uses of communication for your child, such as greetings (hi, bye-bye), labeling, requesting actions or objects, requesting assistance, and using words to get attention. Asking your baby questions is a great tool to help assess their receptive language development, but you also want to make sure you are modeling different communication intents and purposes.
Pediatricians often ask about how many words a child knows. How can I tell if my child actually “knows” a word?
Like previously mentioned, a word needs to be consistent, meaningful, and purposeful. When counting your child’s words, their production will most likely mimic or be an approximation of the “adult-like” version of the word. For example, when your child sees the family dog and consistently says “daw,” then “daw” can be counted as a word. Lots of parents ask about animal sounds and want to know if they count as words. If your child sees a picture of a cow and consistently says “moo,” then that can be counted as a word because your baby is connecting both concepts.
In addition, words should be spontaneously produced by the child and not an imitation. Imitating words is a wonderful and necessary skill for language development, but when counting a child’s true words, they should be words they produce independently on their own.
Lastly, sign language counts as words, too! If your baby independently signs “more,” “eat,” and “all done” independently to intentionally communicate with you, then those count as words, even though they are not verbally saying them.
When should I be concerned that my child’s speech is delayed?
There are lots of resources online that reference speech and language milestones. Those can be a helpful tool to guide parents.
It is important to note that a “milestone” is what MOST children are able to do at a certain age (approximately 90%). “Average” is what about 50% of children are able to do at a certain age.
If your child is not meeting these general milestones, then it would be a good idea to bring up your concerns to your pediatrician. As a parent, I always tell other worried parents that having peace of mind is greater than anything. If your child needs a speech and language assessment, and they are a little behind where they need to be, the earlier you can get them help, the better. Early intervention is KEY at this age.
When is a good time to reach out for help if you’re concerned?
In my experience, a lot of pediatricians will not refer a child for speech and language testing until age three, or they tell the parents to “wait.” If you are ever concerned and want to get an assessment completed by an SLP, I would push for the referral or find a new doctor who will give you one. It is never too late to start therapy, but the earlier the better.
Is it normal if some words sound great and others sound muffled?
Yes! It’s important to remember that your baby is learning so many different things right now and not all of their words will sound perfect or adult-like. With lots of practice and modeling, their speech will continue to sound clearer and clearer as they get older.
Kristen’s favorite infant-level books are simple animal books with easy to label parts. They also often have a sensory component or flaps to lift. Here are two great ones:
Kristen Richardson is an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. She graduated from Central Michigan University with her Master of Arts degree in Communication Disorders in 2011. She has been a school-based SLP for 10 years, working with children ages 3-12. Kristen is an Air Force wife who currently lives on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu with her husband and two children, Isaac (3.5) and Micah (1).
