Early Intervention for Infants & Toddlers

The following communication milestones published from the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association can be helpful in determining if your child may have a speech or language delay:

Birth-3 Months

• Alerts to sound.
• Quiets or smiles when you talk.
• Makes sounds back and forth with you.
• Makes sounds that differ depending on whether they are happy or upset.
• Coos, makes sounds like ooooo, aahh, and mmmmm.
• Recognizes loved ones and some common objects.
• Turns or looks toward voices or people talking.

4-6 Months

• Giggles and laughs.
• Responds to facial expressions.
• Looks at objects of interest and follows objects with their eyes.
• Reacts to toys that make sounds, like those with bells or music.
• Vocalizes during play or with objects in mouth.
• Vocalizes different vowel sounds—sometimes combined with a consonant—like uuuuuummm, aaaaaaagoo, or daaaaaaaaaa.
• Blows “raspberries.”

7-9 Months

• Looks at you when you call their name.
• Stops for a moment when you say, “No.”
• Babbles long strings of sounds, like mamamama, upup, or babababa.
• Looks for loved ones when upset.
• Raises arms to be picked up.
• Recognizes the names of some people and objects.
• Pushes away unwanted objects.

10-12 Months

• By age 10 months, reaches for objects.
• Points, waves, and shows or gives objects.
• Imitates and initiates gestures for engaging in social interactions and playing games, like blowing kisses or playing peek-a-boo.
• Tries to copy sounds that you make.
• Enjoys dancing.
• Responds to simple words and phrases like “Go bye-bye” and “Look at Mommy.”
• Says one or two words—like mama, dada, hi, and bye.

13-18 Months

• Looks around when asked “where” questions—like “Where’s your blanket?”
• Follows directions—like “Give me the ball,” “Hug the teddy bear,” “Come here,” or “Show me your nose.”
• Points to make requests, to comment, or to get information.
• Shakes head for “no” and nods head for “yes.”
• Understands and uses words for common objects, some actions, and people in their lives
• Identifies one or more body parts.
• Uses gestures when excited, like clapping or giving a high-five, or when being silly, like sticking out their tongue or making funny faces.
• Uses a combination of long strings of sounds, syllables, and real words with speech-like inflection.

19-24 Months

• Uses and understands at least 50 different words for food, toys, animals, and body parts. Speech may not always be clear—like du for “shoe” or dah for “dog.”
• Puts two or more words together—like more water or go outside.
• Follows two-step directions—like “Get the spoon, and put it on the table.”
• Uses words like me, mine, and you.
• Uses words to ask for help.
• Uses possessives, like Daddy’s sock.

2-3 Years

• Uses word combinations often but may occasionally repeat some words or phrases, like baby – baby – baby sit down or I want – I want juice.
• Tries to get your attention by saying, Look at me!
• Says their name when asked.
• Uses some plural words like birds or toys.
• Uses –ing verbs like eating or running. Adds –ed to the end of words to talk about past actions, like looked or played.
• Gives reasons for things and events, like saying that they need a coat when it’s cold outside.
• Asks why and how.
• Answers questions like “What do you do when you are sleepy?” or “Which one can you wear?”
• Correctly produces p, b, m, h, w, d, and n in words.
• Correctly produces most vowels in words.
• Speech is becoming clearer but may not be understandable to unfamiliar listeners or to people who do not know your child.

Early intervention is a proactive and supportive approach to addressing developmental delays or challenges in communication that may arise in infants and toddlers. This phase of life is crucial for laying the foundation for speech, language, and social communication skills. By identifying and addressing concerns early on, we aim to enhance overall development and improve long-term outcomes for children.

Speech and Language Milestones:

We understand the typical speech and language milestones for infants and toddlers and closely monitor each child's progress in reaching these milestones.

Red Flags for Communication Delays:

Our assessment process is designed to identify red flags or signs of potential communication delays, allowing for timely intervention and support.

Parental Concerns:

We value the insights and concerns of parents, caregivers, and families. Your observations and input play a crucial role in our assessment and intervention process.