Re: Speech and Language Developmental Milestones---Janice

[Guest guest]

This would be the best start with a mom you don't know well. Later,

the book I think. No need to scare her off.

>

> http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/speechandlanguage.asp#mychild

>

> Speech and Language Developmental Milestones

> On this page:

>

> What are speech and language?

> How do speech and language normally develop?

> What are speech and language developmental milestones?

> How do I know if my child is reaching the milestones?

> What should I do if my child's speech or language appears to be

> delayed?

> What research is being conducted on developmental speech and

language

> problems?

> Where can I get additional information?

> What are speech and language?

> Speech and language are tools that humans use to communicate or

share

> thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Language is the set of rules, shared

> by the individuals who are communicating, that allows them to

> exchange those thoughts, ideas, or emotions. Speech is talking, one

> way that a language can be expressed. Language may also be

expressed

> through writing, signing, or even gestures in the case of people

who

> have neurological disorders and may depend upon eye blinks or mouth

> movements to communicate.

>

> While there are many languages in the world, each includes its own

> set of rules for phonology (phonemes or speech sounds or, in the

case

> of signed language, handshapes), morphology (word formation),

syntax

> (sentence formation), semantics (word and sentence meaning),

prosody

> (intonation and rhythm of speech), and pragmatics (effective use of

> language).

>

> Top

>

> How do speech and language normally develop?

> The most intensive period of speech and language development for

> humans is during the first three years of life, a period when the

> brain is developing and maturing. These skills appear to develop

best

> in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent

exposure

> to the speech and language of others.

>

> There is increasing evidence suggesting that there are " critical

> periods " for speech and language development in infants and young

> children. This means that the developing brain is best able to

absorb

> a language, any language, during this period. The ability to learn

a

> language will be more difficult, and perhaps less efficient or

> effective, if these critical periods are allowed to pass without

> early exposure to a language. The beginning signs of communication

> occur during the first few days of life when an infant learns that

a

> cry will bring food, comfort, and companionship. The newborn also

> begins to recognize important sounds in his or her environment. The

> sound of a parent or voice can be one important sound. As they

grow,

> infants begin to sort out the speech sounds (phonemes) or building

> blocks that compose the words of their language. Research has shown

> that by six months of age, most children recognize the basic sounds

> of their native language.

>

> As the speech mechanism (jaw, lips, and tongue) and voice mature,

an

> infant is able to make controlled sound. This begins in the first

few

> months of life with " cooing, " a quiet, pleasant, repetitive

> vocalization. By six months of age, an infant usually babbles or

> produces repetitive syllables such as " ba, ba, ba " or " da, da, da. "

> Babbling soon turns into a type of nonsense speech (jargon) that

> often has the tone and cadence of human speech but does not contain

> real words. By the end of their first year, most children have

> mastered the ability to say a few simple words. Children are most

> likely unaware of the meaning of their first words, but soon learn

> the power of those words as others respond to them.

>

> By eighteen months of age, most children can say eight to ten

words.

> By age two, most are putting words together in crude sentences such

> as " more milk. " During this period, children rapidly learn that

words

> symbolize or represent objects, actions, and thoughts. At this age

> they also engage in representational or pretend play. At ages

three,

> four, and five, a child's vocabulary rapidly increases, and he or

she

> begins to master the rules of language.

>

> Top

>

> What are speech and language developmental milestones?

> Children vary in their development of speech and language. There

is,

> however, a natural progression or " timetable " for mastery of these

> skills for each language. The milestones are identifiable skills

that

> can serve as a guide to normal development. Typically, simple

skills

> need to be reached before the more complex skills can be learned.

> There is a general age and time when most children pass through

these

> periods. These milestones help doctors and other health

professionals

> determine when a child may need extra help to learn to speak or to

> use language.

>

> Top

>

> How do I know if my child is reaching the milestones?

> The following links will send you to a checklist that can determine

> if your child's speech and language skills are developing on

> schedule. Choose the appropriate age bracket for your child. You

> should talk to your child's doctor about anything that is

> checked " no. "

>

> Interactive Checklist:

> Birth to 5 months

> 6 - 11 months

> 12 - 17 months

> 18 - 23 months

> 2-3 years

> 3-4 years

> 4-5 years

> 5 years

> Top

>

> What should I do if my child's speech or language appears to be

> delayed?

> You should talk to your family doctor if you have any concerns

about

> your child's speech or language development. The above checklist

> should help you talk about your concerns. Your doctor may decide to

> refer you to a speech-language pathologist, a health professional

> trained to evaluate and treat people who have speech, language,

voice

> or swallowing disorders (including hearing impairment) that affect

> their ability to communicate. The speech-language pathologist will

> talk to you about your child's communication and general

development.

> He or she will also evaluate your child with special speech and

> language tests. A hearing test is often included in the evaluation

> because a hearing problem can affect speech and language

development.

>

> Depending upon the test results, the speech-language pathologist

may

> suggest activities for home to stimulate speech and language

> development. These activities may include reading to your child

> regularly; speaking in short sentences using simple words so that

> your child can successfully imitate you; or repeating what your

child

> says, using correct grammar or pronunciation. For example, if your

> child says, " Ball baybo " you can respond with, " Yes, the ball is

> under the table. " This allows you to demonstrate more accurate

speech

> and language without actually " correcting " your child which can

> eventually make speaking unpleasant for him or her.

>

> The speech-language pathologist may also recommend group or

> individual therapy or suggest further evaluation by other health

> professionals such as an audiologist, a health care professional

who

> is trained to identify and measure hearing loss, or a developmental

> psychologist.

>

> Top

>

> What research is being conducted on developmental speech and

language

> problems?

> Scientists are examining a variety of issues related to speech and

> language development. Brain imaging studies are defining the

> relationship between exposure to speech and language, brain

> development, and communication skills. Genetic studies are

> investigating the likelihood that at least some speech and language

> problems may be inherited or passed down from parents to their

> children. Additional studies are characterizing inherited

> communication disorders. The effect of frequent ear infections on

the

> development of speech and language is also an area of

investigation.

> Other scientists are distinguishing types of speech and language

> errors to determine which ones may be overcome by maturation alone

> and which will need some type of intervention or therapy. Another

> area of study is the effect of speech and language development on

> later school performance. Further research is characterizing

dialects

> that belong to certain ethnic or regional groups. This knowledge

will

> help professionals distinguish a language difference or dialect

> (which should be preserved to help an individual identify with a

> group) from a language disorder, which may require treatment.

>

> Top

>

> Where can I get more information?

> NIDCD maintains a directory of organizations that can answer

> questions and provide printed or electronic information on

> developmental milestones. Please see the list of organizations at

> www.nidcd.nih.gov/directory.

>

> Use the following keywords to help you search for organizations

that

> are relevant to developmental milestones:

>

> Speech-language pathologists

> Auditory-oral communication

> Early identification of deafness in children

> For more information, additional addresses and phone numbers, or a

> printed list of organizations, contact:

>

> NIDCD Information Clearinghouse

> 1 Communication Avenue

> Bethesda, MD 20892-3456

> Toll-free Voice: (800) 241-1044

> Toll-free TTY: (800) 241-1055

> Fax: (301) 770-8977

> E-mail: nidcdinfo@...

>

>

> NIH Publication No. 00-4781

> April 2000

>