Single-Parents.net

STEPS IN LEARNING TO TALK

THE EARLY MONTHS

Long before they can speak, infants are listening to their parents and carers. They begin to make little noises and sounds which come before speech. If parents and carers imitate these, it is as if they are talking to the infant. This is the beginning of your baby learning to talk. By responding to your baby's needs when she cries, you show that you have heard her and that she matters. This is the beginning of communication.

6 MONTHS

• Babies start babbling eg "ba-ba-ba-ba".
• They try to get adults to look at them by smiling or babbling.

8-12 MONTHS

• Lots of babbling eg "Da-da-da-da" and "Ma-ma-ma-ma".
• Babies are beginning to learn what some simple words mean even though they cannot say them eg "Mummy, Bottle, No".
• There may be one or two single words.
• Babies wave "bye-bye" when asked.
• They obey simple requests such as "Give me the ball".
• Babies use noises or movements to show you things they are interested in or to tell you what they do or don't want.
• They look where you have pointed.

12-18 MONTHS

• There is much babbling in the children's own jargon.
• The first single words appear by about 12 months eg "No, Dad, Dog".
• Children can point to things that they know when they are asked to.
• Children know their own names and respond to them.
• Understand basic everyday talk and simple directions such as "shake it" or "where's your ball?"

18 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS

• They will be learning lots of new words. Two year olds may have a hundred or more words.
• Two year olds can say their name.
• They can ask for simple things that they need eg "Drink".
• Children start to join words together eg "Daddy home", "All gone".
• They copy the last part of sentences.
• They experiment with speech sounds and make mistakes.

3 TO 4 YEARS

• Children begin to ask "what?" and "why?" questions.
• They use 3 or 4 more words in a sentence.
• They begin to separate the truth from make-believe.
• They can talk about "yesterday, now and tomorrow" and know what they mean.
• Their speech should be understandable 70% of the time.
• They are likely to talk to themselves as they do things .
• They can learn and join in simple rhymes and songs.

4 TO 5 YEARS

• Children learn to adjust their language to the situation they are in. For example they talk differently to their parents than they do to their friends.
• They ask "when?" questions.
• They can talk about imaginary situations eg "I hope..."
• They still mix truth and make-believe.
• They like to tell stories.
• They can hold conversations with their friends and parents.
• They will be able to say their name, age and address if they have been taught this.
• Four year olds enjoy making up words for fun and using toilet words.
• Their speech is clearer but they still may not be using "th", "r", "z", "s", and "v".

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO

• Talk to your baby right from birth and imitate her sounds.
• Name things and talk about what you are doing. Use simple words and sentences at first.
• Give each child some one-to-one talking time each day.
• Listen with interest when your child is talking to you. Don't interfere or correct the child's speech.
• Answer questions simply and clearly.
• Allow children time to get out what they want to say.
• Talk about pictures in books, name things in the pictures.
• Sing songs and read rhymes.
• Take your children to the local library and read some stories to them. Then you can borrow or buy the ones that they particularly enjoy.
• Give younger children a chance to talk without being interrupted by older brothers and sisters.
• Slow your child down first then listen to him if he is stumbling over words because he is excited.
• Get down to eye level with your child when teaching a new word so he can see your lips and hear the word clearly.

WHEN TO BE CONCERNED

Babies learn to talk from what they hear so it is very important to get in early if your baby has a hearing problem.. It is quite surprising how important the first few months are. For children born with a severe hearing loss, the most important factor in their future success with language and learning is that their hearing loss be RECOGNISED before 6 months of age.

Your baby could have a hearing problem if she:

• does not react to loud noises by the time she is a month old
• does not turn her head to see where a noise or voice is coming from by the time she is 3 or 4 months old. Babies generally start to turn slowly towards the sound source from about 3 months of age, not becoming brisk turners to very quiet sound until about 6 or 7 months.
• does not turn to listen to quiet noises, when she is not too busy with other things from about 6 months
• does not start to make single sounds eg "ba-ba-ba" by 8 or 9 months of age
• is not starting to say single words by about 12 months of age.

Some things that can put your baby at a higher risk of hearing loss include a family history of permanent hearing loss starting in childhood, birth problems that meant your baby had to stay in intensive care for a few days or more and some other head or neck problems.

You should discuss any worries or concerns with your doctor or child health nurse.

Tongue-tie and speech development
A child is said to have a tongue-tie when the bit of skin between the tongue and the mouth, the frenulum, joins near to the tip of the tongue, rather than further back. The child cannot push his tongue out as far as usual, sometimes not even further than his lips. The tip of the tongue is often notched. In past centuries many young babies and children had the frenulum cut even when there were no problems with feeding or speech.

Sometimes speech sounds are not clear if a child has a tongue-tie, but many children who do not have a tongue-tie have speech sounds which are not clear until they are 4 to 5 years old (sometimes older). If a child cannot poke his tongue further forward than his teeth, he may not be able to move his tongue up behind the teeth or up to the palate, movements which are needed to allow some sounds to be clear. A speech therapist would be able to look at tongue movement and decide whether this will cause speech difficulties. If it is decided that the tongue-tie needs treatment, it is often done by a dentist who has specialised in oral surgery.

REMINDERS

• Language development involves both listening and talking.
• Use simple language for the very young. Think about how you would feel learning a new language.
• Spend time telling and reading simple stories and rhymes and looking at picture books.
• Sit or kneel down so you are on your child's level when she is talking to you.
• Help children to notice road signs and billboards.
• Learning language is important. It should also be fun.