Below is a list of language milestones arranged age wise. If you have checked (√)2 or more points, you are strongly advised to set an appointment with a Speech & Language Therapist for an assessment and evaluation.
Please refer to the table below to check for a child’s typical language development.
My child...
• Does not respond to sounds
• Does not respond to name
• Does not respond to 'no'
• Is not producing sounds e.g. babbling, cooing
• Is not using gesture e.g. waving, pointing
My child...
• Is unable to respond to simple instructions e.g. “push the car”
• Does not imitate sounds
• Does not answer simple questions verbally or nonverbally
• Has not developed his/her first words
• Is not correctly pronouncing most vowels and m, b, p
My Child
• Does not speak in 2-3 word sentences
• Is not asking and answering simple questions
• Does not appropriately follow instructions
• Is not understood by familiar people
My child...
• Is not speaking clearly and fluently or is stuttering
• Is only using a selection of sounds in his/her speech
• Does not use pretend play e.g. going to the doctor's
• Is unable to relay the day's activities when asked
• Is not using verbs (-ing), plurals (-s), possessives (-'s) and past tense (-ed)
• Cannot answer ‘wh’ questions (what, when, where, who)
My child...
• Is not able to follow 3 step instructions accurately e.g. “go to the kitchen, pick up your plate and put it on the table”
• Is not able to describe a short story or how to do something sequentially e.g. how to make a sandwich
• Only speaks short, simple sentences
• Cannot answer 'why' questions
My child...
• Does not understand and use- time concepts e.g. yesterday, tomorrow, first, then and/or spatial concepts e.g. on top of, behind, next to, far away and opposites e.g. big/little, boy/girl
• Does not engage in conversation
• Is not using his/her imagination to create stories and during play time
• Is not using more complex sentences
Below is a list of feeding milestones arranged age wise. If you are unsure about your child’s feeding ability, set an appointment with a speech and language therapist for an evaluation.
• Solely breast and/or bottle feed. Feed infants at 45 degree angle to help prevent ear infections
• Sucks fingers when near mouth
• Places hands on bottle during feeding
• Recognizes a nipple or bottle
• Pats a bottle with one or both hands
• Bottle and breast feed becomes less automatic and more voluntary
• Holds a bottle independently with one or both hands
• Mouths and gums solid foods
• Opens mouth when a spoon is presented
• Introduce soft foods (cereals, pureed fruits & vegetables)
• Cup drinking can be introduced at 6 months
• Feeds one’s self crackers
• Drinks from a cup held by an adult – some loss of liquid
• Reaches for a spoon when presented/bangs spoon
• Prefers for parent to feed
• Babies use upper lip to clean food off spoon
• Can introduce dissolvable soft cookies and ground or lumpy food
• Holds a soft cookie in mouth (9 months) and bites through it (12 months)
• Straw drinking can be introduced at 9 months
• Imitates stirring with a spoon
• Eats lumpy, mashed food
• Chews using rotary jaw action (emerging)
• Grasps spoon with a full hand
• Brings a full spoon to mouth, turning spoon over en route
• Can drink through a straw
• Can eat foods that require chewing including meats and vegetables
• Holds cup with two hands
• Drinks with 4 – 5 consecutive swallows
• Gives up the bottle
• Scoops food with a spoon and brings to mouth with spillage
• Drinks from a cup with limited spillage
• Swallows with lip closure
• Self-feeds frequently
• Chews a broad range of food
• Has precise up/down tongue movements
• By 24 months can chew and manage all types of foods – this will be fine tuned over the next few years
• Bites through a variety of food thicknesses
• Brings a fork/spoon to mouth, palm up, self-feeds with little spillage
• Holds a small, open cup in hand with little spillage
• Chews with lips closed
• Chews with stable rotary jaw action
Talk with your specially trained pediatric speech & language therapist if your child exhibits the any of the following:
• Frequent vomiting, especially if accompanied by pain or discomfort
• Chronic constipation or diarrhea
• Choking, gagging or retching that interferes with eating and proper nutrition
• Difficulty advancing to textured foods
• Difficulty chewing and therefore a reliance on pureed foods
• Excessive mouth stuffing
• Regularly holding or pocketing food in the mouth for long periods
• Constant or excessive drooling without nasal congestion or that doesn’t seem to be the result of teething
• Does not explore toys or other objects by putting them in his/her mouth
Promoting your child’s language environment
Parents are the fundamental contributors to their child’s success of learning language. It is crucial for the child’s home environment to full of healthy functional language.
Please refer to below suggestions to help promote the use of language at home.
• Respond to your child’s coos, gurgles and babbling
• Read Read and Read books!
• Sing songs and nursery rhymes
• Expose your child to new places and people while you label things and people in the environment
• Talk to your child about everything you’re doing while you are with him/her
• Encourage your child’s first or early words
• Talk simply, clearly and slowly
• Look at your child when he or she talks to you
• Use simple language to describe situations and places
• Encourage your child to use words to indicate anything rather than actions or pointing
• Repeat new words over and over – children learn best through repetition!
• Help your child listen and follow instructions in a play based manner
• Read books everyday e.g. special time, bedtime
• Listen attentively when your child is talking
• Set up play dates for your child to interact with peers
• Talk about how objects are the same or different
• Help your child to tell stories using books and pictures
• Ask your child simple questions
• Encourage your child to play with other children
• Talk about places you’ve been or will be going to
• Read longer stories to your child and encourage him/her to fill in parts of the story
• Help your child sort objects and things (e.g. things you eat, animals)
• Let your child take the lead in planning activities
• Help your child answer complex questions
• Encourage storytelling and imagination
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