SPEECH & LANGUAGE

Developmental Milestones
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BIRTH - 5 YEARS n www.ToolsToGrowOT.com

REFERENCES:
American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2011). How does your child hear and talk?. Retrieved from: https://www.asha.org/
public/speech/development/chart/
Lanza, J. R., & Flahive, L. K. (2008). Guide to communication milestones: Concepts, feeding, morphology, literacy, mean length of utterance,
phonological awareness, pragmatics, pronouns, questions, speech sound acquisition, vocabulary . East Moline, IL: LinguiSystems.
Gard, A., Gilman, L., & Gorman, J. (1993). Speech and language development chart (2 ed.). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
Owens, R. (2012). Language Development: An Introduction (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
 0– 12 W
SPEECH & LANGUAGE
W
MONTHS
n
www.ToolsToGrowOT.com

Developmental Milestones
WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD BE DOING AT EACH AGE? REMEMBER EACH CHILD IS UNIQUE AND WILL DEVELOP AT HIS OR HER OWN RATE.
USE THE GUIDE AS A TOOL TO LEARN WHAT STEP IS NEXT.

SPEECH
C
COMMUNICATION SOUNDS
& & SOCIAL
LISTENING LANGUAGE USE LANGUAGEE
TALKING
W

W
W
□ Startles with loud sounds Cries differently for varying needs
MONTHS
S

□
□ Smiles or quiets down in
0-3

response to your voice □ Makes cooing sounds (e.g. vowel sounds) □ Smiles at people and when
□ Starts to recognize your voice □ Makes reflexive sounds (e.g. coughing, crying, burping) spoken to

□ Eye gaze moves in direction

of sounds
□ Recognizes and reacts to a □ Starts to make sounds with lips together such as
MONTHS

difference in tone of voice “raspberries” □ Babbles to gain attention

Establishes eye contact
3-6

(e.g. friendly vs angry voices) □ Sound productions are constantly changing □

□ Attends to music and toys that □ Produces mostly vowels (e.g. “ah”) □ Makes sounds that express
make sounds □ Some babbling appears (e.g. “bah-bah-bah”) mood
□ Listens and watches you when
you’re speaking
□ Responds to no
□ Responds to sounds even when □ Points to direct attention □ Babbles with increased length □ Likes to look and smile in the
they cannot see the source toward an object using CVCV patterns (e.g. mirror
Moves to music “papa” “mama”) □ Points to learn new vocabulary
MONTHS

□ □ Using gestures to
Responds to own name communicate (e.g. waving, □ New consonant sounds □ Imitates rise and fall of voice
6-12

□
□ Begins to understand common reaching up, shaking head emerge, like /t, d, n/ □ Uses sounds (e.g. shouting) and
words for objects “no”) □ New vowel sounds emerge gestures to attract attention
□ Begins to respond to simple □ Says one or two words, □ Imitates different speech □ Copies simple actions and plays
requests (e.g. “come here”) like “mama” or “bye” sounds cause-and-effect games (e.g.
pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, “so
big!”)
 12- 24 W
SPEECH & LANGUAGE
W
MONTHS
n
www.ToolsToGrowOT.com

Developmental Milestones
WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD BE DOING AT EACH AGE? REMEMBER EACH CHILD IS UNIQUE AND WILL DEVELOP AT HIS OR HER OWN RATE.
USE THE GUIDE AS A TOOL TO LEARN WHAT STEP IS NEXT.

SPEECH
C
COMMUNICATION SOUNDS
& & SOCIAL
LISTENING LANGUAGE USE LANGUAGE
TALKING
W

W
W
□ Continues actions
when they are praised or when
□ Has a vocabulary of around □ Speech can be difficult others laugh
2-6 words at 12 months
12 - 18 MONTHS

□ Follows simple one-step to understand □ Engages in parallel play (playing

□ Uses 1-2 words at a time to next to someone, but not with
directions communicate □ Continues to imitate them)
(e.g. “Get your toy”) □ Pairs gestures with words to speech sounds and words □ Copies adult models during
communicate □ Beginning to use the playtime
□ Starts to understand spatial (e.g. reaching up and following sounds: p, b, m, t, □ Refers to themselves by their
concepts (e.g. up, in, down) saying “up!”) d, n, h, w, g, k, s, j name (instead of saying “I”)
□ Repeats words that are □ Takes turns (“my turn, your
heard turn”)
□ Says “no” to protest
□ Has a vocabulary of about □ Attention to task during play
□ Understands and points to 50-100 words around 18 □ Speech is understood increases to about 7 minutes
25-50% of the time to
18 - 24 MONTHS

some body parts when months □ Engages in self-talk during play

prompted □ Starts to speak in 2 word a familiar listener □ Starts to use conversational
□ Reacts to questions like phrases around 24 months □ Produces 70% of words (e.g. hi, bye, please, and
“where’s your book?” (e.g. “Mommy shoe”) the following sounds thank you) and gestures
“Where’s mom?” □ Uses mostly nouns correctly : p, b, m, t, d, n, (waving “hi” or “bye”)
□ Understands and points to □ Starts to ask simple h, w, g, k, s, j □ Verbal turn taking increases
vocabulary in pictures (e.g. in questions □ Increases use of □ Eye contact increases during
a book or on a flashcard) (e.g. “what’s that?”) two-syllable words interactions
□ Attends to short stories □ Pronouns used: I, it, my, me, (e.g “doggy” “yummy”) □ Increase in spontaneous
mine, you speech and imitation
 24– 36 W
SPEECH & LANGUAGE
W
MONTHS
n
www.ToolsToGrowOT.com

Developmental Milestones
WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD BE DOING AT EACH AGE? REMEMBER EACH CHILD IS UNIQUE AND WILL DEVELOP AT HIS OR HER OWN RATE.
USE THE GUIDE AS A TOOL TO LEARN WHAT STEP IS NEXT.

SPEECH
C
COMMUNICATION SOUNDS
& & SOCIAL
LISTENING LANGUAGE USE LANGUAGE
TALKING
W

W
W
□ Vocabulary is increasing: uses □ Stays on topic for longer
about 200-300 words around periods of time
□ Follows two step commands 24 months
(e.g. “Pick up the play doh and □ Engages in short group
put it away”) □ Speaks in 2-3 word phrases activities
□ Understands around 500-900 □ Increases complexity when asking □ Speech is Uses more language while
24 - 36 MONTHS

□
words who, what, and where questions understood playing
50-75% of the
□ Differentiates between “one” □ Pronouns used: your, he, she, time to a familiar □ Stories lack elements such as
and “all” yours, we listener sequence and plot, but include
□ Understands directions □ Uses verb tense without a helping descriptions and labels
involving adverbs and verb (“is”): (e.g. “Daddy eating”) □ Communicates emotions and
adjectives (e.g. “Run fast” or □ More consistent feelings verbally, instead of
“Point to the big dog”) □ Emergence of phrases with use of the following physically (e.g. says “Can I
subject + verb + object (e.g. sounds: k, g, t, d, have that?” instead of
□ Responds to family related “Daddy throw ball”) ng, f, y grabbing)
vocabulary, like sister or aunt
□ Uses articles and conjunctions □ Associative play skills emerge
□ Understands and selects (“a, the, and, so, but, or”) (starting to engage with
pictures of verbs others during play, sharing,
□ Uses regular plural forms (e.g.
“cats”) taking turns)
 36– 60 W
SPEECH & LANGUAGE
W
MONTHS
n
www.ToolsToGrowOT.com

Developmental Milestones
WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD BE DOING AT EACH AGE? REMEMBER EACH CHILD IS UNIQUE AND WILL DEVELOP AT HIS OR HER OWN RATE.
USE THE GUIDE AS A TOOL TO LEARN WHAT STEP IS NEXT.

SPEECH
C
COMMUNICATION SOUNDS
& & SOCIAL
LISTENING LANGUAGE USE LANGUAGE
TALKING
W

W
W
□ Engages in cooperative play
□ Vocabulary increases to around 1,000 (playing with someone, securing their
attention, communicating with them)
36 - 48 MONTHS

□ Responds when name is called words by 36 months □ Talks about events and actions that
from a distance □ Speaks in 3-4 word phrases □ Speech is
□ Responds to basic wh-questions □ Pronouns used: they, us, hers, his, them, understood previously occurred (e.g. what they did
involving their surroundings or her, its, our, him, myself, yourself, 75-90% of the yesterday)
activities they’re engaged in ours, their, theirs time to a □ Able to separate from caregiver with
(e.g. “What are you doing?”) □ Uses irregular (e.g. drove, ate) and familiar listener greater ease
□ Demonstrates increased listening regular (e.g. walked) past tense verbs □ Starts to engage in dramatic play,
□ Starts to use including dress-up, playing house, puppet
skills □ Irregular plurals emerging (e.g. sounds that shows, etc.
□ Listens to stories of increased “sheep”) start with: r, l, s □ Acts frustrated if they are not
length and complexity □ Uses “is” understood
□ Uses possessive: ‘s □ Stories are more organized, including a
topic and sequenced elements
□ Vocabulary increases to 1,600 words □ Gives a request with a justification (e.g.
- 60 MONTHS

by 48 months “Come here! I want to play!”)

□ Phrases continue to increase in length, □ Speech is □ Asks peers to join in play or activities
to 4+ words understood □ Uses words to protest and compromise
18 - 24 MONTHS

□ Starts to understand and answer □ Pronouns used: herself, himself, itself, during play
simple questions about stories 90-100% of the
□ Recalls and repeats up to four ourselves, yourselves, themselves time to a □ Uses imagination when talking i.e. “when
digits said to them □ Uses vocabulary like “if, so, could, familiar listener I grow up . . .”
□ Repeats short sentences would” in sentences □ Stories continue to increase in
□ Uses comparative -er (e.g. “smaller, □ Starts to use complexity, and may involve a plot
□ Follows 2-3 step commands faster”) sounds: ch, sh, □ Repeats their message if misunderstood
□ Emerging grammar skills in sentences z, j, v □ Starts to understand and use gender
48

□ Has a vocabulary of 2,200-2,500 relationships (i.e. relating colors or

words at 60 months topics to a specific gender)