Speech and Hearing
Speech and hearing impairments are particularly prevalent at a young age. The key is to catch them early so that you can treat them accordingly. You must be knowledgeable about the speech and hearing milestones according to age. A delayed milestone or something that never materialized may indicate a defect. Look out for these red flags and consult a pediatrician right away. Here are the major speech and hearing milestones according to age.
Birth to three months
The infant should be able to react to loud sounds by acting startled or surprised. He should be soothed by soft and calming sounds. The baby should respond to your voice by turning towards your direction whenever you speak. He will also wake up to loud sounds or noises.
Another sign of responsiveness is that the baby smiles at you while you are talking. He will also calm down whenever he hears your voice because he recognizes you.
Four to six months
The child should be attentive and responsive to new sounds. He should also be able to understand the word “no.” There is a newfound interest for rattles and other sound-making toys. The infant can emit sounds like “ooh” or “aah” multiple times. He is easily scared by loud noises.
Seven to twelve months
This is when the baby can respond to his name. He also reacts to the sound of a telephone ringing or anyone else’s voice. This is also when he can identify the words for basic things. The baby babbles even when he is alone. He can also respond to basic commands and can clearly identify people or photos. He also enjoys playing peek-a-boo and other basic games.
One to two years
This marks more development in the child’s ability to hear and speak. He can now string together a couple of words in order to express a thought. He can now ask for things by using words instead of actions.
The child can also respond to simple questions. They can point to things that are asked of them. They can nod yes or no when asked to do so. This is also the stage where the child tremendously enjoys being read to. They enjoy stories and other narratives about a different world.
Another amazing improvement is their ability to understand and follow two-step commands. For instance, they can perform “wear your shoes and come here.” They also have a newfound understanding for basic action verbs.