When do babies talk - At what age do babies start talking?
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It's an important issue, when do babies talk ? And it concerns all parents. There are many special unforgettable moments during the growth of babies that are worth waiting for. Such moments are very fun and amazing for parents to watch, this includes the first time he says "mommy" or "dad", or when he learns to walk, talk and learn a few words, etc. Any new thing he can do.
But babies can really differ from each other in the developmental milestones, they don't do the same things at the same age so you shouldn't expect things at an exact age, but there is a normal range at which important events and developmental steps happen, your baby may do it a little earlier or later but stays in the normal range.
When do babies talk ?
The first sign of vocalisation appear at the age of one month with a little humming sound (aah, oh)which is different from crying. The baby then starts babbling and saying monosyllables (da, ma, ba, yaya) and laughing by then end of the fourth month.
At the age of 9 months (and sometimes before this age) he will amaze you by saying dada & mama! but not necessarily to the right persons! At the age of 1 year he will be able to identify the real parents and call them dada and mama! and of course he can identify himself and understand that you are talking to him.
From now on, he will begin building his own dictionary and can say a few words up to 10 words by the age of 18 months. Some children may be even able to say about 50 words at 20-24 months and learn a few new words every day and just imitates people. It just different from one kid to another. You better watch your words at this stage because he will be learning alot of new words (and actions) from his parents!
Then around two years of age he can form a 2-3 word sentence and refers to himself using "I" and can also use the words "me" and "you". His vocabulary grows even more to include up to 300 words by the age of three.
By the age of 4 years, your kids is going to be a real experienced speaker and can tell stories, count to ten and sing!
Keep in mind that even the most gifted kids can start talking late. Some may start by the age of 9 months while others start about the age of 18-24 months.
The learning and speech skills of your child are affected by their health state, their nutrition and emotional factors. The social and emotional environment is very importqant in the precess of growth and development for your children. Kids living in a well balanced and healthy emotional atmosphere grow appropriately both on the physical and intellectual levels.
Stuttering can be a normal thing in the early month as the child begins to learn how to talk and he can be so excited with his new abilities that he can't fully control his talking.
Talking can be delayed in case of bilingualism, if each parent is talking a different language, the child may not be able to understand or speak either of them, so take care!
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thanx alot baby2hug :)
I can't believe my little man is saying Hi already at 2 months old. It's not baby gibberish either and my wife has it on video clearly saying Hi. He's already trying to say other things too. At first I told my wife he's just saying gibberish but she proved me wrong with the video and I've heard him before that but just wrote it off as gibberish. WOW!
Brilliant kid :D.thnx for the comment
Hi! my fellow hubber, haven't been able to hub...guess i hv gotta learn more about hubpages b4 i bounce back hu.
Regarding bilingualism: It`s a myth that bilingual kids start speaking later. Ours is trilingual and started at 14m and at 2 1/2 he is way advanced, in all three languages (English, German and Russian); he can even read them:
Wow! brilliant kid, not all kids are the same and also how the patients deal with their kids and try to teach him is really important.
thanks alot for the comment :)..say hi to Andrej :)
i have two kids one son age 9 and a little girl 20 months and she will not talk much. she can say byebye,dog,momma,daddy,bubby,pa,nana and no way thats all she said we have been tring to get her count and she will not say nothing.
thanks for your comment. It is not that late, she can say 5-6 words already and maybe she needs more time before she can start counting. As I said, the average kid may count fro 1-10 at the age of 4 years, some kids do it much earlier but it is not a fixed rule.
i just love babies!i play with a lot of babies but i have seen babies making soundsfrom three months and start
playing and talking from the age of two!
thnx for your comment, yazhini...impressive :)
My nephew is 2yrs n 4mos old. He can say up to 5-6words n all of our family member is really worried about it..I was jst wondering is it normal..
It varies, at 2 years most kids can say some words and very short sentences and their dictionary keeps expanding, sounds normal to me..you can still consult a doctor about it of course if you are worried
hey my son is 3yrs 2months old. he doesn't frame sentence, he doesn't answer when people ask him uestion? Is this abnormal?
A specialized doctor should see your kid to assess his speech abilities, it really differs from one kid to another
I always say to parents whose kids don't say much that they shouldn't worry too much since all kids are different and that even Albert Einstein didn't start talking 'til he was four.
thats right DeptFreedom
thnx for stopping by
my father in law says i should go see a speak specilist for my 20month old daughter coz she doesnt speak much, although she can point to things she wants and says words like, mom, dad juice, ball, book etc but only says them wen people are not around also she says bye too late to peolple, do u think we need to see someone??
thnx for your comment..Congratulations for the first words :). Again, I'm not a specialist, the pediatrician or specialist is the only one who can decide..
You said that she can speak when people are not around, that's normal specially when these people are strangers, alot of kids are shy to talk except with people they are familiar with..The best thing to do is to ask a specialist so you can be sure and answer all your concerns, there is nothing to be afraid of.
best wishes.
Mezo
like it
I think you need to check your "windows for talking", not all children say mama and dada by 9 months. Many do but not all. Some children do not say their first word until after the first year. This is still normal.
Hi Lex, I was very clear when I mentioned that NOT ALL CHILDREN start talking at the same age. I mentoined this more than once. There is no single-answer-fits-all for this question, all we can do is to try to define a "range". It really depends on the baby, the commnication with the parents and how do they understand their baby.
If you read the article you would find that I said:
"Keep in mind that even the most gifted kids can start talking late. Some may start by the age of 9 months while others start about the age of 18-24 months."
Thanks.
I think it is how you wrote it 'at the age of 1 he will be able to identify his real parents and call then Mama and Dada'. This could have been written 'children say their first word between the ages of 9 months and ...' By the way at what age should they be talking by? When should an assessment be sought if they have not said their first word? Great info by the way!
Thanks for the constructive criticism, Lex. I'll think about a better way to write this part. Kids can say words around 18 months (again, some may talk before or after this age, this is just an average estimation) and after the age of 2 years they can form short sentences.
One of the factors also, is how much do parents talk with their child using clear language and how do they communicate with him, how do they encourage him to talk and express himself.
Thank you! Nice!
thank u very much for this all help full information
my daughter who is now 19 months starts saying around 10 words now, clearly.. so pround of her whether she was 5 months old or 4 years old. The language is full of words.. im glad she's learning the right ones.
Thanks a lot :) I'm glad it helped.
Excellent hub Mezo: I believe that parents intensive one-to-one communication with the infant is a sole determinant in the infant's ability to be an early talker. If parents are actively engaged with communication with the infant by reading to him/her, responding when the he/she talks, having the child listen to classical and soothing music, and playing educational games, then he/she will develop early communication skills and his/her intelligence will be accelerated.
I believe that many children are late talking children because their parents are too preoccupied. Well, caring for an infant is hard work. If parents are not up to the challenge, then they should not have been parents in the first place. Infants do not raise themselves, it is the job of the parents to initiate the communication with their infant by continuously interacting with him/her. It is so astounding that many parents blame their infant for being late talkers and they absolve themselves of the blame. If an infant is a late talker and/or perform other developmental tasks late, it is the parents' fault entirely. It is the parents' job to teach, guide, and to communicate with that infant. For example, I had a maternal cousin once removed who had a son. When he was first talked at one years of age, he was talking unintelligibly and everyone in the family thought it was so cute. They did not bother to correct him. He continued talking unintelligibly. When he entered daycare at three years of age, he still talked unintelligibly and the other children in the daycare laughed at him. His mother never effectively communicated with him, always saying that she was too busy. Lady, this is your son and he is your responsibility. I believe staunchly that the role parents play in teaching and guiding their infant is a determinant as to whether the infant will be an effective early taker or a stunted late talker.
Thanks a lot :) you are right.
Re: gm williams
I have to agree to a certain extent. It is the responsibility of the parents and this involves extended periods of meaningful play and establishing routines that enable the child to develop vocabulary that has meaning HOWEVER my own child receives daily verbal and focussed communication through play and daily activities- he has done since birth however at 21 months speaks only 10 or so words. I have a nephew who spoke in phrases at the age of one and spoke in full sentences by 2 yr old- he even said the sentence, 'Isn't a coincidence about...' and used the sentence in the right context. My nephew's mum practically ignored him but he soaked up the language of his cousins.
Please be careful when dispensing such loaded advice as it can sound rather boastful rather than supportive and hurt people who are in fact doing more than the average parent but still have not heard their child reach those milestones.
I also have a baby that started talking at 2 months. The first thing he said (clear a day) was Ohh Yeah somewhat like the coolaid guy. This was an respond to the question, as I was changing him, i asked do you like to be naked. When I called to my wife in the other room if she just heard that her answer was OHH YEAH. Very shocking and very surreal. The next time was a few weeks later , he was in his crib and he called out MOM (clear as day and more like an teenager voice not baby)I thought it was my wife talking with her mother. This has been happening every few weeks and always a correct response to a question or situation, like when he bumbed his head trying to look out the window of a plane, saying OCH (again just like you and me and clear as day) that was at four months. About a month ago as I walked by him laying on the floor he blurted out PICK ME UP(clear as day)at 14 months. He also does the normal baby talking, like the giberish, but once in a while just a full on word that could not be mistaken for anything else.
thnx for your comment, TJC.. It looks like a great and fun experience :) your kid is smart, may be you should record those precious moments, I'm sure he will be happy to see his 14 month old when he is older.
Thanks for reading and commenting :)
Mezo
My boy is 2 next weeks but says very little. He will say "Mama", "Dada", "What's that", "Where is it?" and "gawgaw" for chocolate but that's about it. I'm starting to get a little concerned. If I ask him to say something, he flatly refuses and shakes his head. I don't know whether there may be a problem or that he just doesn't want to. Any ideas? Thanks x
Oh and just to add, we do talk to him on a one to one basis all of the time. I describe what I'm doing when I'm doing housework and read him books etc. I get strange looks from people as I walk around shops and through town with him because I just chat to him so I don't think it's due to lack of communication from us?
Thnx for your comment KTP..I'm not a specialist at this and my word is not a substitute of seeking medical advice. By the age of 2 years children can put words together and ask some simple questions, but most children for example won't know their full name or colors before the age of 3 or 4. Usually at one year a child can say about 5 words which increase with time.
I don't think your child milestones are delayed.
You are doing a great job by describing the things you are doing, communicating with him and reading. You don't have to read all the words, it is okay to use books that have nice colorful photos and describe them and what's happening.
You can start teaching him some colors, and numbers but be patient. Also, teach him some basic moves such as simple toys, clapping, kissing, waving goodbye.
After that, you can try help him expand his dictionary (teach him colors, body parts, name of familiar people or objects...make a game of it and ask him to name objects he learned). Show him you understand what he says and be patient. Use clear and simple language. If he uses kids language "e.g. gawgaw" you can sometimes use it but use the right word with it too..for example: Want gawgaw? ok I'll bring chocolate.
Help him learn simple yes-no questions: Are you John?, say the questions and answer and play with him, try to help him ask some questions too!
Ask questions that require his answer: Do you want milk or cookies?, etc. Be patient and keep doing this :). If you are still concerned there is nothing wrong with asking a specialized expert/doctor as they will give you the best advice and tell you the right thing to do.
Kind Regards.
Mezo
Thnx for your comment KTP..I'm not a specialist at this and my word is not a substitute of seeking medical advice. By the age of 2 years children can put words together and ask some simple questions, but most children for example won't know their full name or colors before the age of 3 or 4. Usually at one year a child can say about 5 words which increase with time.
I don't think your child milestones are delayed.
You are doing a great job by describing the things you are doing, communicating with him and reading. You don't have to read all the words, it is okay to use books that have nice colorful photos and describe them and what's happening.
You can start teaching him some colors, and numbers but be patient. Also, teach him some basic moves such as simple toys, clapping, kissing, waving goodbye.
After that, you can try help him expand his dictionary (teach him colors, body parts, name of familiar people or objects...make a game of it and ask him to name objects he learned). Show him you understand what he says and be patient. Use clear and simple language. If he uses kids language "e.g. gawgaw" you can sometimes use it but use the right word with it too..for example: Want gawgaw? ok I'll bring chocolate.
Help him learn simple yes-no questions: Are you John?, say the questions and answer and play with him, try to help him ask some questions too!
Ask questions that require his answer: Do you want milk or cookies?, etc. Be patient and keep doing this :). If you are still concerned there is nothing wrong with asking a specialized expert/doctor as they will give you the best advice and tell you the right thing to do.
Kind Regards.
Mezo
I found my baby book while helping my mother clean the house, and written in the book were all of my "milestones". She wrote that i said my first sentence at 10 months. "i want milk". My parents never spoke down to me, they always spoke to me as if i were a little adult. I would talk all the time at home, and to my twin sister, but when it was finally time to go to school i wouldn't say a word to any of the teachers. I spoke only to my sister, who would then relay what i was saying. My teachers found this annoying so the school separated us in second grade. And for the next ten years of school i never spoke a word. My teachers hated me, because they thought i was doing it on purpose, and I received F's on almost everything that could be graded subjectively. I thought i was very stupid, until the 10th grade when one of my teachers handed back the wrong essay to me (an A) and i read it, and i thought my essay (most likely an F) was better. I had my mom read both essays and she too thought mine was better. My mom printed out my essay, and took both essays (with the names crossed out) to the principle (recently promoted from being an english teacher) and had her read them. She read them both and thought mine was the better essay. (Now, i don't think i have some sort of superior intellect, and sorry for the seemingly unrelated comment, but the point i am trying to get to is that parents need to encourage their children, because sometimes teachers let their personal opinions of students get in the way. (I know that my grammar is still atrocious, i never learned proper grammar (my mom always said "that's what an editor is for") but i no longer think i'm stupid). And their isn't time to review this comment, it's time for the easter egg hunt!
My son had 4 words at 18 months he was born premature at 28 weeks so I knew there were some things not quite right. He was delayed with all of his milestones. The dr tested him and put us in touch with the divison of developmental disibiltys. We started sign language at 2 to help with the frustration of his wants and needs that he's was unable to tell us. At 3 he attended a special needs pre school were they helped him develop his vocab he is now 9yrs old going to regular school and still recieves some help not with speech but with vocab and reading. All children are different and some just need a little extra help. If your worried talk to your doctor and ask for your child to be tested. If there is something wrong early intervention is the best way to go.
Thank you so much HeatherDuke & mommyof3loy2, your comments are inspiring and I can't agree more! Thnx a lot :)
baby2hug 2 years ago
Thank you for this article. This helped refresh the ol brain as my Grandchild is starting to say words. When you have not had a little around for many years, you tend to forget the finer details.