Identifying Proper Language Development

Identifying whether your child has a language delay can be as simple as answering several questions. After "testing" your child with these questions, you will know whether you should contact our office. (888-645-5683). If you have a concern, please feel free to phone us immediately. We will be happy to discuss your concerns and provide you with options, if necessary.

Answer the following questions:
Birth to 5 months:
1. Does your baby react to loud sounds?
2. Does your baby turn toward a sound source such as your voice?
3. Does your baby watch your face when you sing or talk?
4. Does your baby vocalize pleasure such as laughs or giggles) or displeasure (crying and fussing?)
5. Does your baby make noises when talked to?

6 to 11 months
1. Does your baby understand the words, "No, no?"
2. Does your baby babble identifiable sounds such as, "ma-ma" or "ba-ba?"
3. Dos your baby tr to communicate by gestures or actions?
4. Does your baby try to repeat your sounds when you speak to him/her?

12 to 17 months
1. Does your child show interest in a book or toy for 2 or more minutes.
2. Does your child follow very simple directions accompanied by gestures.
3. Does your child answer simple questions nonverbally.("Point to the dog.")
4. Does your child point to objects, pictures and family members when asked. (Where is daddy?")
5. Does our child say two or three words to label a person or object, though the pronunciation may not be clear. ("Grammy nice.")
6. Does your child imitate simple words? (book)

18 to 23 months
1. Does your child enjoy hearing a book being read?
2. Does your child follow simple commands without gestures. ("Bring mommy the book.)
3. Does your child point to simple body parts? ("Show me your eyes?")
4. Does your child understand simple verbs (action words?) ("jump, crawl, sleep")
5. Does your child correctly pronounce most vowels and the sounds or n,m,p,h particularly when they are the beginning syllables in short words. ("hop, man," etc.)
6. Does your child say 10 or more words, though they may be unclear?
7. Does your child ask for foods by name, though the words may be unclear?
8. Does your child make animal sounds? ("baaaaa, mooooo, ruff ruff")
9. Is your child beginning to combine words. ("want drink, more milk")
10. Is your child beginning to use the pronouns? ("I, mine.)

2 to 3 years
1. Do you think your child knows between 50 words by the time s/he is two?
2. Does your child understand spatial concept words? ("in,on,under")
3. Does your child know most pronouns and begin to use them? ("I, you, me, her")
4. Does your child say about 40 words by age 2 years?
5. Is your child's speech becoming more accurate, even though "strangers" may not understand his speech sounds?
6. Does your child answer simple questions? (Where is your bear?")
7. Does your child use two or three word phrases. ("I get milk.")
8. Is your child beginning to use inflection in his/her voice when asking for something ("MY kitty.")
9. Is your child beginning to use plurals and regular past tenses? ("shoes,walked")

For additional information, please refer to these books:


These are excellent resources to use with your child: