12-18 months: Baby Talk -- Milestones

1. Shows increased understanding of words and gestures.

At this age, babies are able to understand many more words and phrases than they're able to say. They understand the words that describe what is happening now, and those that indicate what will happen next. Babies are able to follow one-step directions that are accompanied by gestures. They respond with actions when asked to make a choice, such as choosing which shirt to put on today when two shirts are held out to them. For example:

Developing as expected, they might:

• walk toward you when you open your arms for a hug
• show enjoyment and participate in a familiar finger play, such as "Here's a Ball for Billy" or "Open, Shut Them"
• point to appropriate pictures in a book when asked, "Where's the ___ ?"
• go to the coat rack when their caregiver tells them that it's time to go out now
• take their hand away from the potted plant when their parent says, "No," but then continue to dig in the dirt
• pick up their spoon after being told to use the spoon instead of their fingers
• offer their stuffed animal to you when you ask if you can give it a hug
• follow a simple direction such as, "Please bring me the book from the table"
• get a tissue from the box when you say they need to wipe their nose

Needing development, they might:

• not respond to explanations about what is going to happen next
• become angry when routines are interrupted
• kick and protest when their caregiver tries to help them put on their boots
• look at you without moving after you ask them to choose a book to read
• point to body parts that are named, but not always the right ones
• point to only one drawing in the book when asked to pick out all the animals

2. Uses consistent sounds, gestures, and some words to communicate.

Babies' babbling begins to mimic the sounds and rhythms of the language they hear around them. Their first words reflect the words they hear most often as caregivers talk near them or to them. Caregivers are the role models for these eighteen-month-olds who are just learning speech and the meaning of words. Although babies this age may say a few words, they continue to use gestures as their primary way of communicating. They initiate social interactions and indicate what they want by pointing, jumping up and down to get an adult's attention, tugging at an adult's clothing, shaking their heads yes or no, or just going ahead with their plan. For example:

Developing as expected, they might:

• greet family members when they return home with a sound that clearly resembles "hello"
• use their word for milk when they want another drink
• "name" several pictures in the book as they turn the pages
• use single words, such as "bye" when carried out to the car, or "nite-nite" when being put into their pajamas
• put several words together, such as, "Da-da bye bye"
• jabber with sounds that begin to be more and more like words as they play with their blocks or stuffed toys
• talk into their toy phone, pausing as if listening to someone on the other end
• tell their caregiver "shoes wet" when they come in from playing in the yard
• shake their head no when they don't want any more cereal
• yank off their bib when they're finished eating

Needing development, they might:

• babble without consistent sounds
• use gestures but very few sounds when trying to communicate their needs
• just begin to use word-sounds with meaning, such as "da-da" or "up-up"
• use gestures that are so general it is hard to understand their meaning