Typical development or delayed?

 Hallmark communication delay in children include: 

• Unable to be understood by others 
• Having trouble understanding what people say 
• Difficulty following directions or answering questions 
• Difficulty pointing to objects and pictures 
• Having trouble sharing or taking turns with other peers 
• Trouble asking questions and answering questions (who, what, where, when) 
• Naming objects and putting words together  
• Difficulty attending and learning songs and rhymes 
• Difficulty using correct pronouns, like "he" or "they" 
• Struggle to know how to start a conversation and keep it going 
• Difficulty reading body language or social cues

 Birth to 3 Months

• Reacts to loud sounds
• Calms down or smiles when spoken to
• Recognizes your voice and calms down if crying
• When feeding, starts or stops sucking in response to sound
• Coos and makes pleasure sounds
• Has a special way of crying for different needs
• Smiles when he or she sees you

4 to 6 Months

• Follows sounds with his or her eyes
• Responds to changes in the tone of your voice
• Notices toys that make sounds
• Pays attention to music
• Babbles in a speech-like way and uses many different sounds, including sounds that begin with p, b, and m
• Laughs
• Babbles when excited or unhappy
• Makes gurgling sounds when alone or playing with you

7 Months to 1 Year

• Enjoys playing peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
• Turns and looks in the direction of sounds
• Listens when spoken to
• Understands words for common items such as “cup,” “shoe,” or “juice”
• Responds to requests (“Come here”)
• Babbles using long and short groups of sounds (“tata, upup, bibibi”)
• Babbles to get and keep attention
• Communicates using gestures such as waving or holding up arms
• Imitates different speech sounds
• Has one or two words (“Hi,” “dog,” “Dada,” or “Mama”) by first birthday

1 to 2 Years

• Knows a few parts of the body and can point to them when asked
• Follows simple commands (“Roll the ball”) and understands simple questions (“Where’s your shoe?”)
• Enjoys simple stories, songs, and rhymes
• Points to pictures, when named, in books
• Acquires new words on a regular basis
• Uses some one- or two-word questions (“Where kitty?” or “Go bye-bye?”)
• Puts two words together (“More cookie”)
• Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words

2 to 3 Years

• Has a word for almost everything
• Uses two- or three-word phrases to talk about and ask for things
• Uses k, g, f, t, d, and n sounds
• Speaks in a way that is understood by family members and friends
• Names objects to ask for them or to direct attention to them

3 to 4 Years

• Hears you when you call from another room
• Hears the television or radio at the same sound level as other
  family members
• Answers simple “Who?” “What?” “Where?” and “Why?” questions
• Talks about activities at daycare, preschool, or friends’ homes
• Uses sentences with four or more words
• Speaks easily without having to repeat syllables or words

4 to 5 Years

• Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it
• Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school
• Uses sentences that give many details
• Tells stories that stay on topic
• Communicates easily with other children and adults
• Says most sounds correctly except for a few (l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, and th)
• Uses rhyming words
• Names some letters and numbers
• Uses adult grammar

This checklist is based upon How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?, courtesy of the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association.