Baby Communication: Milestones in Early Years

• Babies have an innate ability to communicate from birth.
• Newborns communicate primarily through crying to express needs like hunger, discomfort, pain, or a need for comfort, sometimes without an obvious reason.

Communication Milestones in Early Years

• During the first 3 months, babies start using their voice and body to communicate by smiling, laughing, making cooing sounds, and moving their arms and legs when interested or excited.
• Around 3 months, baby language begins to develop, marked by eye contact, interaction, and turn-taking.
• At about 9 months, children indicate interest through actions such as staring, pointing, touching, and grabbing.
• By 12 months, children typically understand the names of familiar objects.
• Between 1 and 2 years, toddlers begin to engage in simple conversations, drawing attention to things and asking questions like "That?" to inquire "What's that?".
• At 2-3 years, children start using words to ask for familiar items and comment on things; by age 3, they can ask and respond to basic questions, follow instructions, and use simple sentences with words like "and".

Effective Communication Strategies

• Talking to a child frequently, as any and all talking is beneficial, not needing a specific time, includes activities like dressing, bathing, playing, singing, reading, and exposing them to various words to enhance their learning and understanding.
• Tuning in and responding to a child involves recognizing their interests and responding accordingly, crucial for language development.