Table 1. Developmental Milestones for Speech and Language in Children Age Receptive Expressive months Turns torattling _Laughs* sound* Vocalizes (cooing)* Turns to voicet Qmonths — — Babies, single sylables* Says “mama” or “dada,” onspectfict Waves “bye-bye"t 12months Follows one-step Babbles* command —_mitates vocalizations and sounds* Says one wordt Waves “bye-bye"t 15 months — Says one word* Says three wordst Waves "bye-bye"* 18 months Points to atleast Says three words* one body partt Says six wordst 2years Points to two Combines wordst pictures* Names one picturet Follows two-step command2S5years —Pointstosix Knows two actionst body pars*™ Names one picture ‘Speech half understandablet Byears cot Knows two adjectivest Names four pctures* Names one colort ‘Speech all understandablet+ years = Defines five wordst Names four colors ‘Speech all understandable* NoTE: Except where otherwise cited, milestones are adapted from Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents. ‘*—More than 90 percent of children pass this tem. 450 10.90 percent of children pass this item. Information from references 14 and 15.