Children communicate through nonverbal (gestures, facial expressions) or verbal (through speech). Language is the ability to communicate by understanding and expressing meaningful messages. It refers to the words we use, how we use them, and how they are understood.
Children develop at their own pace but every child should be able to acquire language skills by a certain age. Developmental milestones help you check if your child is on track or may need extra help. If your child misses language milestones by a long mile, he/she may have a language delay.
Children communicate through nonverbal (gestures, facial expressions) or verbal (through speech). Language is the ability to communicate by understanding and expressing meaningful messages. It refers to the words we use, how we use them, and how they are understood.
Children develop at their own pace but every child should be able to acquire language skills by a certain age. Developmental milestones help you check if your child is on track or may need extra help. If your child misses language milestones by a long mile, he/she may have a language delay.
What RED FLAGS should we look out for?
0-3 months
- Does not smile or interact with others
- Does not pay attention to sounds
4-7 months
7-12 months
- Does not respond when you call their name
- Does not understand what others say
- Uses few sounds and gestures such as waving or pointing
12-18 months
- Says only a few words
- Does not follow simple directions
18-24 months
- Does not put two words together to make sentences
24 months
- Difficulties talking and playing with other children
- Says fewer than fifty words
WHAT CAN WE DO?
1. Talk to your child as much as possible. Talk about what he/she sees and does, and what you see and do (like a boxing match commentator!). This will enrich the language input your child receives.
2. Engage your child in play! Join him and show how much fun you both are having.
3. Expand utterances by adding descriptions and action words. If he/she talks one word at a time, expand it to two; if two words at a time, expand it to three; and so on. (e.g. While playing with a toy dog child says, “Dog!” Expand it to “Dog, fluffy dog. Dog says arf arf!”).
4. Echo what your child intends to say. If he/she reaches for a toy car while grunting, you may say, "Car! Want car." This gives your child a model of what to say the next time he wants his toy car.
