| Developing language skills and the growth of | | | | teaches your baby the art of conversing. |
| cognitive abilities allow children to interact with the | | | | By six months of age infants should start to |
| surrounding world. | | | | babble. The ability to babble requires coordination |
| Language development begins before birth as the | | | | of muscles on the pharynx. When babbling begins |
| baby perceives the sounds of the womb. There is | | | | these muscles get exercised, and your infant |
| evidence that the baby possesses receptive | | | | discovers her ability to talk. By nine months of |
| language ability well before birth. She can hear and | | | | age you should hear your baby say "mama" or |
| respond to environmental sounds and start to | | | | "dada." Often "dada" is heard first, because the |
| develop memories of them. | | | | nasal sound "m" is harder to produce than the "d" |
| Expressive language development also begins | | | | sound. But don't worry, she will say "mama" |
| early. Cooing, which is when the baby produces | | | | pretty soon--especially if you practice with her! |
| vowel sounds, begins in the first two months of | | | | Between 9 and 12 months your baby will start to |
| life. Increased volume in cooing begins to develop | | | | point to objects. This is a very important language |
| around one month of age, and pitch variability can | | | | milestone, as it proceeds the naming of objects. |
| be noticed between two and four months of age. | | | | By the age of one year, a child usually has learned |
| During that time, when you converse with your | | | | one other word besides "mama" and "dada" and is |
| infant, you should notice some variation in tone. | | | | able to follow one-step commands. |
| These "conversations" are a great exercise that | | | | |