From the Guidelines
Babies typically start to speak intelligibly around 18 to 24 months of age. This milestone is crucial as it reflects the culmination of gradual language development, which begins with babbling around 6 months, followed by the first recognizable words around 12 months 1. By 18 months, most children have a vocabulary of about 10-20 words, and by age 2, they often combine words into simple phrases. The study by the Pediatrics journal in 2007 emphasizes the importance of early intervention for children with hearing loss, highlighting that those identified and provided with appropriate intervention in the first 6 months of life have significantly better outcomes in vocabulary development, receptive and expressive language, syntax, speech production, and social-emotional development 1.
Key Points to Consider
- Language development is a gradual process, influenced by both biological factors and environmental stimulation.
- Early intervention is critical for supporting language development, especially in cases where hearing loss is a factor.
- Parents play a significant role in supporting language development by engaging in conversations with their babies, reading books together, and responding to their communication attempts.
- Significant variation exists in normal language development, but if a child reaches 24 months without speaking intelligible words, it is advisable to consult with a pediatrician to discuss potential language delays and the need for early intervention. Given the emphasis on early detection and intervention for hearing loss and its impact on language development, as outlined in the 2007 position statement 1, it is essential to monitor a child's language development closely and seek professional advice if there are concerns about their progress.
From the Research
Language Development in Babies
- There is no direct evidence in the provided studies to determine the age at which babies start to speak intelligibly, as the studies focus on language stimulation in elderly people, aphasia recovery, noninvasive brain stimulation, cognitive stimulation therapy, and interventions for adults who stutter.
Relevant Findings
- The studies provided do not investigate language development in babies, but rather focus on language-related topics in adult populations, such as aphasia recovery 2, noninvasive brain stimulation 3, and cognitive stimulation therapy 4.
- One study examines interventions for adults who stutter, including speech restructuring programs and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) 5, but does not provide information on language development in babies.