A child’s first words is a very exciting and memorable time in a parent’s life.
But when can we expect this to happen?
It can be stressful navigating the endless amounts of information available when it comes to your child’s development.
First Words: A Memorable Time
Everything seems to be one quick google search away.
In fact, I am sure the title of this post itself has been typed into the search bar endless amounts of times!
But which website is right?
Is it 12 months?
Is it earlier?
What if my child is 13 months?
When is the right time to seek help?
It is important to note that every child is unique, therefore it can be challenging to place a single figure or definite age on a certain developmental milestone.
There is, however, an abundance of evidence to help us with determining if a child is tracking in the right direction.
Typical Language Milestones
For example, a child’s first words are typically expected at around 12 months of age, but evidence suggests that the timeframe of this can be anywhere between 12 to 18 months for typically development children (Bowen, 1998).
From here children’s language is expected to grow to 50 words or more at 2 years old (Pepper and Weitzman, 2004).
Knowing these kinds of timeframe for major developmental milestones can help to guide parents on their decision making when it comes to seeking support.
It is important to note that the words your child use across this period may not be entirely clear.
Children develop their accuracy of speech sounds over time and separate milestones are used to determine the appropriateness of this.
Assessing Language Development
Alternatively, if your child is yet to say their first words, it is helpful to think about how their language has been developing thus far.
This may include earlier developing milestones they may have achieved.
For example, is your child babbling?
Or is your child making any specific sounds to label something (e.g., animal sounds)? Is your child copying any gestures, sounds or words?
Answers to these questions can provide more information on how your child’s communication skills have been developing.
The Importance of Early Years
A child’s early years is such a special time, and the development of words is just one part of their overall development!
Therefore, it is always helpful to know what is expected at your child’s current age.
If you have further questions regarding this or think it is time to seek additional support, please book an appointment with one of our speech pathologists.
Pepper, J., and Weitzman, E. (2004). It Takes Two to Talk: A Practical Guide for Parents of Children with Language Delays (4th Ed). Toronto: The Hanen Centre.
Bowen, C. (1998). Typical speech and language acquisition in infants and young children. https://www.speech-language-therapy.com/
