Typical
Speech and Language Development
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From birth to 6
months babies generally communicate through crying. Parents learn to respond to their cries
depending on what the need is. Also
during this time babies will begin to respond to familiar voices and sounds in
their environment by such actions as turning their heads, looking or smiling.
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Somewhere between
the 7th to 12th months, children will begin to comprehend
the meaning of words. They learn to
understand daily activities such as eating, playing, and bedtime, for example.
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Emerging around 1
year of age and continuing into 24 months of age, children will say their first
words. They can follow simple
directions; recognize common objects and what they are used for. By 2 years of
age, children can use around 100 words and can generally produce vowels, as
well as the [m, p, h, and n] sounds.
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Between the ages
of 2 and 3 years, children will begin to use an increasing number of words and
even put them together into phrases and short sentences (of 2-4 words or more
by age 3). Often by age 3, children use
anywhere up to 500 words successfully. Around this time children will also
begin using the [d, w, b] sounds correctly.
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From 3 to 5 years
of age and up, children can follow 2-3 directions. They will use approximately
600-1000 words orally to relate events and experiences from their lives. Sentences will continue to grow in length and
complexity during this time. By age 4,
children should be using the [y, f, k, g] sounds correctly. All other sounds should be emerging as they
approach ages 5
and up.