Beginning in the womb, babies are introduced to language and are able to hear and distinguish a parent's voice. After birth, language development will rapidly increase to include talking, singing and the ability to make signs and gestures. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, infants have critical periods of development where it is best to absorb language and learn words, sentence formation and speech rhythm. Although all babies learn at their own pace, there are some general milestones that are typically reached.
Birth to 3 Months
At birth, crying is the main form of communication. These cries will soon become distinct according to different needs. A baby may cry one way when he needs to eat and a different way if he is uncomfortable. By the time he reaches 3 months, he will most likely be able to smile, make a "cooing" sound and recognize the voices of his parents or caregivers. He will also be startled by loud noises and may become quiet when someone makes eye contact and speaks to him.
3 to 6 Months
Between 3 and 6 months, a baby may start to babble, gurgle and combine consonants and vowels. The sounds "mama" or "dada" may emerge, although these noises are not intentional and won't carry any meaning until about 12 months of age. By 6 months, she will most likely be able to repeat syllables and use her voice to show whether she is content or unhappy. She may also move in the direction of noises, respond to her parent's tone and pay attention to music.
6 to 12 Months
Around 6 months of age, a baby will likely be able to understand the basic sounds of his language. Between 6 and 10 months, he will have spent some time trying out different tones and patterns. By the time he is 12 months old, he may be able to intentionally say simple words like "dada" and "mama" and understand simple directions, such as being told not to touch an object.
12 to 18 Months
Soon after 12 months of age, a baby will begin practicing inflection by raising her voice to emphasize different words and syllables. By the time she is 18 months old, she will likely be able to point to an object when prompted and recognize the names of familiar objects and people. She will also be able to say up to 10 words.
18 to 24 Months
Between 18 and 24 months of age, a baby's vocabulary will grow to include anywhere from 50 to 70 words, and he will be able to understand up to 200 words. At this age, he will learn 10 or more words each day. By 24 months, he will likely be able to ask for food by name, use simple phrases, ask simple questions and use three-word sentences. He will also be able to sing simple songs and will spend time talking about his feelings and thoughts.
