Child Language Development

Children learn to talk in a gradual and predictable way, and there are several stages of language development that they typically go through.

Here is some information on how children's language starts to develop:

1. Pre-linguistic stage (birth to 12 months): During this stage, infants develop the ability to make a variety of sounds and use facial expressions and body language to communicate their needs and wants. They start to babble and experiment with sounds, eventually producing simple syllables like "mama" and "dada."

2. One-word stage (12 to 18 months): At this stage, toddlers begin to use single words to communicate their needs and wants, such as "milk," "juice," or "bye-bye." They also start to understand and respond to simple commands and questions.

3. Two-word stage (18 to 24 months): During this stage, toddlers start to combine two words to form simple phrases, such as "more milk," "big ball," or "daddy car." They also start to use pronouns, such as "I," "you," and "me."

4. Telegraphic speech stage (24 to 30 months): At this stage, toddlers start to use short, simple sentences that contain only the most important words, leaving out smaller words like "the," "a," and "and." For example, they might say "doggie run" instead of "the doggie is running."

5. Multiword stage (30+ months): As toddlers enter the preschool years, their language skills continue to develop, and they start to use more complex sentences and a wider range of vocabulary. They also begin to understand and use grammar rules, such as past tense and plurals.

It's important to remember that every child develops at their own pace, and there is a wide range of "normal" when it comes to language development. However, if you have concerns about your child's language development, it's important to talk to your pediatrician or other professionals for an evaluation.

Have questions? Leave us a comment below.