Language development is an important part of a child’s overall development. Studies have shown that children lay the foundation of language in the first 12 months of life and keep on developing their vocabulary till they reach the age of 3. Parents play a vital role in helping a child’s ability to understand and express themselves.
Remember, during this period, the right amount of nutrition is very crucial for a child’s cognitive development. You can add essential nutrition to your child’s diet by including a fortified milk powder like Enfagrow A+ in their daily diet, since it contains all the vital nutrients, including DHA, which is crucial for optimal brain development.
How Language Skills Develop
- 03-07 months: In these early months, your child starts making eye-contact with you. They will start babbling and playing with sounds, making weird combination of vowels and consonants to make many gurgling sounds.
- 08-12 months: This period is often referred as the ‘jargon phase’, in which the child starts saying some words but without meaning. Children will jabber in response to a human voice at different alarming pitches and tones.
- 12-18 months: At this age, the child starts speaking their first meaningful words. For example, they might start referring to their father as “dada.” They start communicating with purpose and answer in one word, mainly to refuse, insist or ask for something.
- 18-24 months: The child starts using their first name and understands the meaning of words like me, you, etc. They start speaking short sentences of 2-3 words by this age.
- 24-30 months: Kids at this age starts answering questions. They become capable to use plurals and their vocabulary is expected to expand to 100-200 words.
- 30-36 months: At this age, the child starts telling experiences in sentences of 4-5 words. Moreover, they start to form questions and use negative sentences.
Basic Skills to Focus On
It is very important for parents to encourage their child to talk and be social. Here are a few ways in which parents can promote language development in their kid:
- Talking: Talk to your child as much as you can, and you will be surprised at their response, even if it is in babbles. Even if they can’t understand, talk to them as much as possible. Describe activities such as, “Let’s take a bath,” or “Let’s have food.”
- Reading: Studies have shown that the children who are read to in their early childhood are likely to have better vocabulary and grammar than those who are not, according to an article on Child Trends. Reading helps your child gain a better understanding of words and their meanings. It’s never too early for story time!
- Listening to Music: Kids love music and rhymes. Listening to music together can prove to be a fun activity and can help your kid learn a new language. You can also add small gestures and it will help in developing their motor skill too.
Remember, every child is unique and will develop at their own pace. As a parent, your role is to encourage them to explore their potential.