Connecting Us to Others
Developmental Milestones
Milestones are what 90% of children are doing at that age.
The average is what 50% or children are doing at that age.
Every child grows and develops at their own pace. Developmental milestones provide us with a guide of when most children have developed a specific skill. It may not be a cause for concern if your child is not meeting a milestone listed. However, if your child is not meeting many of the milestones listed below, it would be best to get in touch with a licensed speech-language pathologist.
Having a communication disorder, whether it is speech or language based, can affect the way we connect with others and the world around us. It can also cause social, emotional, and behavioural problems if not addressed. If you have any questions or concerns at all, give us a call today.
Early intervention is key.
Birth to 12 Months
Birth to 3 months
Does the child: • make cooing sounds • have different cries for different needs • smile at you • startle to loud sounds • soothe/calm to a familiar voice
4 to 6 months
Does the child: • babble and make different sounds • make sounds back when you talk • enjoy games like peek-a-boo • turn his/her eyes toward a sound source • respond to music or toys that make noise
7 to 12 months
Does the child: • wave hi/bye • respond to his/her name • let you know what he/she wants using sounds, and/or actions like pointing • begin to follow simple directions (e.g., Where is your nose?) • localize correctly to sound by turning his/her head toward the sound • pay attention when spoken to
12 to 24 Months
12 to 18 months
Does the child: use 2-6 words at 12 months, 10-50 words at 15-18 months (average) • use common words and start to put words together • answers "where", "what" questions by looking and pointing • enjoy listening to storybooks • point to body parts or pictures in a book when asked • look at your face when talking to you
18 to 24 months
Does the child: use 50-200/300 words (average) • understand more words than he/she can say • say two words together (e.g., More juice) • ask simple questions (e.g., What’s that?) • take turns in a conversation
24 to 36 months
Does the child: use 200-300 words at 24 months, 450 words at 30 months (average) • sound 50% intelligible to unfamiliar listeners • use sentences of two to three or more words most of the time • understand different concepts (e.g., in-on; up-down) • follow two-part directions (e.g., take the book and put it on the table) • answers "where", "what", "who" questions • participate in short conversations
Speech Sounds: p, b, d, h, w, m, n
36 to 48 months
Does the child: use 1000 words at 36 months, 1600 words at 48 months (average) • sound 75% intelligible to unfamiliar listeners • tell a short story or talk about daily activities • talk in sentences with adult-like grammar • generally speak clearly so people understand • answers more complex questions such as "who", "why", "how"
Speech sounds: k, g, t, ng, f, v
4 to 5 years
Does the child: • pronounce most speech sounds correctly • sound 100% intelligible to unfamiliar listeners • participate in and understand conversations • recognize familiar signs (e.g., stop sign) • make up rhymes • hear and understand most of what is said at home and school • listen to and retell a story and ask and answer questions about a story
Speech sounds: s, z, sh, ch, l, j, v
5 to 6 years
Speech sounds: th, zh, r
Sources: Speech-Language and Audiology Canada, www.sac-oac.ca