Talk to me, baby!

When your little one utters their first word, it’s an exciting time. Whether it’s “Dada” or “Mama”, talking is an important milestone, and this is how it happens.

One of the cutest and most joyful times is when your baby finally starts to talk. While this milestone happens differently for each child, it’s something that eventually happens one way or another. But there’s more to talking than just words. It’s a vital development that your baby has been preparing for from the start.

WHEN IT HAPPENS

During their first year of life, most babies don’t say any words that we understand as such. But they are developing to talk from the very beginning.

“Their language skills begin to grow the minute they are born. Their first form of communication is crying – they cry when they are hungry, tired or uncomfortable. From around three months, your baby starts to coo and gurgle, and at six months your baby’s vocalisations start to sound more like words – ”Baba” and ”Dada”, for instance,” says Corli Hanekom, a speech and language therapist from Cape Town. “At 12 to 15 months, they start to produce words. The number of words a baby can say varies greatly at this age. Some babies will only say one word, while others will say more than a dozen. At around 18 months your baby will probably say about 20 words.”

A NEW CHATTERBOX

Speech starts to develop in babies in the form of vocalisations and babbling sounds. “The babbling and sound productions become more complex as a baby ages. In order for expressive language to develop in children, they first need to understand the language by hearing it constantly before they will be able to speak the language. The first words that develop are usually a same syllable repetition like ”Dada”, ”Mama” or ”Wawa”, Corli says. The child’s speech then starts to develop from one word utterances to two word utterances, to short sentences as their vocabulary increases. The most common first words for children are “Mama” or “Dada” and then “Cat”.

As your child starts to engage in language, it feels very rewarding for parents. But it can be frustrating for the new talker.

“Most children make mistakes when they learn to talk, so it’s normal for a toddler to mispronounce certain words or to replace more difficult sounds with easier sounds. However, most sounds need to be developed by the age of five years,” Corli says.

WHEN TO WORRY

While every child develops at a different pace, it’s important to realise that the understanding of language comes before any language use. There are underlying conditions that can influence speech and language development, like recurring ear infections, epilepsy and certain syndromes (such as Down syndrome). Neurological conditions such as autism or cerebral palsy also have an effect on speech and language development, and a delay in communication milestones is not uncommon.

“Alarm bells are raised when a toddler does not respond when you call them or does not respond appropriately to simple instructions. Also if they have difficulty imitating or do not try imitating simple sounds, syllables or words; if they prefer pointing to vocalising when they request something; or if they previously used words, but stopped using them,” says Corli. Have your child checked out by her paediatrician if you notice any of these conditions. You may be referred to a speech therapist for help.

SPEAKING TO YOUR CHILD

You are a great source of encouragement when it comes to your child learning to talk. “Language stimulation at a young age is extremely important. This means speaking to your child in such a way that enhances understanding and includes positive conditioning,” Corli says.

WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR CHILD, REMEMBER THIS TO BOOST THEIR LANGUAGE SKILLS

■ Look directly at your child and wait until you have their attention (eye contact) before you begin talking to them.

■ Stand or sit close to your child when you talk to them – especially if they are prone to ear infections.

■ Speak slowly and clearly.

■ Use short and simple sentences.

■ Respond to your child’s noises and expand on what they are trying to say; so for “bottle” say “Give me my bottle.”

■ Encourage and praise your toddler even though their speech is not always correct.

■ Never punish or scold your child if they pronounce something incorrectly. They may become scared of speaking.