Even in the womb, a baby hears and responds to human voices and sounds. From birth, they communicate through crying, cooing, and other sounds. The first months of life are critical, as they lay the foundations for later verbal communication and expression.
Many parents wonder how to effectively support speech development at a time when their baby is not yet using words. Early stimulation and well-chosen interaction help a child’s language abilities develop optimally.
What to know
To support a child’s speech development successfully, we first need to understand the developmental stages. As early as the first month, a baby can register the human voice and respond with facial expressions or movements. From the second to third month, familiar cooing and vocalizations appear—first verbal attempts to communicate. During this period, babies play with sounds and their intensity.
Around 3–6 months, babies start exploring their voice very actively. They intensively practice producing short, syllable-like sounds such as “ba ba,” “ma ma,” and so on. By the middle of the first year, they listen to their parents’ speech and learn to distinguish different voice melodies and intonation. In these months, they begin to grasp the rules of their native language.
Between 6–9 months comes the repetition of simple sounds and syllables they hear. The period between 9–12 months brings the first real attempts at words. The first words are usually simple, clear, and familiar (“mama,” “dada,” “grandma”). They mostly relate to people, objects, or everyday situations.
The age range for first words is quite wide. Some children say their first word as early as nine months, others not until the end of the second year or later. More important than the exact timing is the gradual acquisition of further skills and the child’s active communication in all forms—movement, gestures, and sounds.
How to support speech development?
From the very first days after birth, it’s helpful to talk to your baby regularly. A gentle tone and slower speech give your child the chance to tune into the melody of language. It helps when you comment on everyday activities you do together during the day, because that exercises speech.
Active listening helps your child experience communication with you as a two-way activity. Be patient, watch your child closely, respond to their vocalizations, and imitate their cooing and sounds. This provides feedback, fosters their interest in communicating, and gradually encourages them to imitate you.
Interactions and back-and-forth dialogues are powerful stimuli for speech development. Regularly ask simple questions such as “Where is the ball?” and then show or tell the answer. Incorporate gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, and simple sentences that are easy for a child to perceive.
Whether your child is already talking or you’re still waiting for those first words, don’t worry. Children learn every day and develop at their own pace. Most important are your support, patience, and a naturally stimulating environment. Try to create plenty of opportunities for active conversation and play. If you still have concerns, a pediatrician or a speech-language therapist can help identify possible issues.