Baby Talk: 5 Tips for Encouraging Your Baby’s Communication
My youngest child, Oliver, is 12 months old. While he is a total delight most of the time, he’s currently in the “screechy stage”. He’s just beginning to use the occasional sign or word approximation to tell us what he wants. As I EAGERLY await the moment when there is less screeching in my house, I’ve been whipping out my SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) mom hacks to help our Ollie Bean develop his communication skills and pass through this stage as quickly as possible!
What’s All the Screeching About?
Crying, cooing, blowing spitty raspberries, screeching, babbling and even the way babies put EVERYTHING in their mouth, ALL serve important purposes. They are exploring and learning about all the different sounds they can make and things they can do with their mouth, in preparation for talking! Remember this the next time the screeching sounds are driving you up the wall or you wonder HOW baby always seems to find that tiny piece of debris and put it in their mouth.
It really is crucial to our babies’ development for them to make noise - and lots of it! Moms and Dads can often distinguish a hungry wail from sleepy fussing with ease. As babies grow, they begin to coo in response to interactions with their caregivers.
Before long, parents can expect to hear shrieking noises and consonant vowel combinations (da, ba, etc.) which become longer and more varied over time (e.g., dadada). To better understand natural language progression in your little one, you can find more information on communication milestones from ASHA here.
Many of the clients I see in speech therapy at age three or four are described as “quiet babies”. If your baby isn’t vocalizing at an age-appropriate level, your pediatrician may recommend an evaluation through Early Intervention or with a private Speech Language Pathologist.
Here are some ways you can encourage and participate in your baby’s vocalization.
5 Tips for Encouraging Your Baby’s Communication
Vocal Play
Vocal play is repeating back what your baby says. These little “conversations” serve as the foundation for healthy language development in the future. While your child may not be using real words yet, they are practicing real elements of language. The more you can repeat back what they are saying, the more practice they will get moving their mouths and tongues in preparation for good communication development.
Singing
Nursery rhymes, finger plays, and familiar songs all help babies develop language skills. Music, rhythm and repetition are powerful learning tools. Don’t worry if your repertoire is limited - sing what you know! Some of our household favorites are “Wheels on the Bus” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider”. These little songs can go a long way for your child’s development and future success.
Using Gestures
From pointing to simple “baby signs”, babies develop gestures prior to being able to say words. Research shows that the number of gestures a baby has at 14 months is positively correlated with the number of words they say by kindergarten*. Try to use 2 new gestures per month with your baby. You can read more about age appropriate gestures in 16 Gestures by 16 Months by the FIRST WORDS® Project here.
Reading Early and Often
The recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is to read to your child daily. Copying sounds, recognizing pictures, and learning words all help your baby’s language improve. Books also introduce them to words that they may not otherwise hear day-to-day. It’s amazing how greatly children’s vocabulary improves by reading books.
Be Responsive
When you’re responsive to your child, this teaches them that their communication matters! Watch what your baby is looking at and talk to them about it. Being responsive will continue to encourage their curiosity and ability to communicate and connect with people and the world around them.
I know how tough the screechy phase can be, but it’s a little easier to appreciate all the sounds baby makes when you understand their importance. I hope these tips help make the time during this phase more enjoyable and are helpful for both you and your child.
*https://leader.pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/leader.ftr5.15132010.np