First Year Hearing and Language
We humans are social beings. Our brains are programmed to learn language so we can communicate with one another. Your baby is no exception. She’s been honing her listening skills since before she was born, and now she’s learning to make the sounds that will become words and then sentences to last a lifetime
Like other developmental skills, babies go at communicating at their own pace. Try to be an active part of the conversation by playing, reading and singing to your child. Above all, be patient.
As a guide, here's how your baby may be communicating in his/her first year of life:
Month 2
She’ll start to copy some of your vowel sounds.
She will be able to recognize your voice.
Month 3
She can create different vowel sounds on her own, called cooing. Try mimicking each other's cooing, for practice and smiles.
Month 4
She often turns toward a noise as if looking for its location.
She should be able to turn she head toward a noise.
Month 5
She may start making consonant sounds like "b," "n" and "m."
Month 6
She will then string vowel and consonant sounds to babble sounds such as "bababa."
Month 7
She’ll start babbling with adult intonations, forming clear syllables such as "ma-me" (mommy), imitating how you speak.
She’s likely to babble to you when she just wants to talk to you.
Month 8
Babies of this age love to hear music, especially songs. They listen carefully, and sometimes their babbling sounds like the rhythm of a favorite song.
Month 9
She may be able to connect words with their meanings, by pointing to she shoe when she hears the word.
Month 12
She may understand the meaning of as many as 70 words.
She may be able to say three or more words.
