During the first year of the baby's life there is a surprising evolution of language. Although he has just begun to pronounce his first words, the first sounds and his way of interacting with people lay the foundations of what his verbal communication will be.
We will detail how the baby's language evolves month by month during the first year but first it is important to comment that it is a generality and should not be taken to the letter, since each child has its own maturational rhythm.
First month
Babies in this one do not have oral language, but that does not mean they do not communicate. During the first month of life, babies emit certain sounds, such as screaming, coughing occasionally, hiccups and emits guttural sounds (sounds that the baby makes in his throat) and begins to make sounds similar to the vowels.
Babies understand a lot during this first month of life, since they are able to respond to loud sounds by frowning and causing changes in their breathing rhythm. Likewise, they also respond to a voice that reassures them, smiles or has a more vivid expression before familiar sounds, and especially to their mother's voice.
In Babies and more The first words: How and when do they start talking?Second month
It is from the second month when babies begin to have logical signs to express hunger, affliction, pleasure ... Likewise, they begin to use the sounds "a", "e" and "or" as vocalizations of pleasure, in addition to starting to emit the sounds "j", "k" and "g". It is now also when he begins to imitate casual movements of opening his mouth and / or sticking out his tongue.
On the other hand, at a comprehensive level there is a great advance. Change the expression on your face or turn the head slightly if we make a noise near it. Pay attention to the voices, looking with your eyes to who is speaking.
When we sing a song or cuddle and he likes it, the little one looks, emits sounds, increases his activity and smiles to make us see that this behavior gives him happiness and pleasure. In addition, to communicate this state, and not being able to say it through words, the baby lets us know by emitting vowel sounds like "aaaaaa".
Third month
Already at the end of the first quarter the little one starts using up to four different open vocalizations, such as "aaaaaa" or "eeeeeee", in addition to making vocalizations of up to four different syllables using the sounds "k" and "g" (of the type "kakakaka" or "gagagaga") more frequently.
Also, when something is being told, he responds by looking directly at the speaker; the little one looks at the lips and mouth of the person speaking to him, listening to him and focusing his attention for an increasingly prolonged period of time.
Thanks to this maturation process of the different linguistic abilities, you will be able to smile in response to the speaker or protest in response to some actions depending on whether they are pleasant or not.
Fourth month
During the fourth month of life, our little one will let us know that he wants something thanks to his shrieks, which he can also do for pleasure. Likewise, while we are playing with him, and he is enjoying himself, he will not stop laughing. His vocalizations are already beginning to be done in response to the speaker, and he begins to repeat series of sounds on a regular basis.
When he is sitting and we are talking to him, out of his visual reach, our son will turn his head looking for us to have eye contact and know who is speaking to him, and if the voice he hears is that of someone unknown, he shows signs of restlessness and can alter meet a stranger
Fifth month
The vowel sounds most used by the baby are "a", "or" and "u". Babbling, which is a spontaneous and repeated pronunciation of phonemes and sounds, is also increasing.
From this stage of his life, our son will be able to locate, on a regular basis, the origin of the voice he hears most accurately. The actions of listening and watching, which until now had a hard time doing together, are increasingly coordinated.
You also notice an increase in your ability to react to a familiar voice that says its name. And among all the voices of their daily surroundings, it is that of the mother who recognizes most easily among others.
He is able to express his state of anguish or displeasure with different vowel patterns and different intonations.
In Babies and more Decalogue to stimulate baby's languageSixth month
During this stage, the child accompanies his vocalizations with movements and reactions of his body, which will enrich his communication attempts. During the game it emits sounds or noises, both when it is alone and when accompanied. Start taking the lead initiative, with four or more different syllables at the same time, and babbling adults directly to initiate social contact with them.
In the same way, it manages to differentiate between mandates, warnings, situations that produce anguish or fear, known voices against unknown voices ...
Is also able to understand simple and everyday gestures repeated by adults, such as greeting or farewell. When we say "no" to something we don't want him to do, he starts to understand it and sometimes (more and more) he stops. And it is also from the sixth month when he begins to recognize words like "dad" or "mom."
Seventh month
During the seventh month our little one is already able to vocalize four or more different syllables ("ma", "pa", "ta", "ga" ...) and begins to perform soliloquies; that is, our baby already has its own characteristic language that he performs when he is alone playing or doing something. His babble is gradually more varied and when an adult addresses him, he produces vocalizations as a response.
In addition, before new sounds, begin to observe and react by looking, turning or extending your hand towards the source of those sounds that you are beginning to discover. The same happens when someone says his name and hears it: he turns in the direction of the sound source. Similarly, when we make changes in the tone of our voice (we shout, ask ...) the baby reacts to those changes.
When we put music or songs, pay attention to them, and begin to recognize the names of family members. Finally, he manages to respond with appropriate gestures to words like "come", "goodbye" ...
Eighth month
In the eighth month, the baby begins to emit redoubled syllables ("p", "m", "b" fundamentally: "papa", "mama", "baba"), as well as to vocalize broadcasts that resemble adult sentences, but without using proper words.
His ability to imitate little by little is increasing, until he imitates a sound or syllable that belongs to his usual repertoire, or even imitates the rhythm and sounds of his parents' natural language. It also begins to mimic the mouth movements that the adult sees, for example, when fed.
He is also able to listen to conversations of the adults around him, as well as to stop the activity he is doing when called by name. During daily routines, when we describe some objects by name, you can recognize them.
In Babies and more Dialogue with your child: a study shows that early two-way conversations improve your verbal developmentNinth month
The baby can emit bisblabs redoubled with the sounds "p", "b", "t", "d", "m" and "n". It is also now when you can imitate sounds and syllables with "m", "p" or "b" when you see adults do it.
He begins in the discrimination and understanding of meaningful words for his daily life, and begins to understand some simple verbal mandates. When he is doing something and we say "no", he is now able to stop. Similarly, you can keep your attention for about a minute before an image that is taught and described.
His communication is more effective since he directs his gaze to choose the person with whom he wants to communicate, in addition to changing the intonation to communicate the intensity of his desires. When you use gestures to communicate with others, they are meaningful gestures. His vocalizations or protests are also given now when the adult who attends him prepares to leave.
Tenth month
At the beginning of the tenth month, our little one is already able to use type exclamations: "Ohh", "ahh", "ehh"... also begins to pronounce words of two syllables, like "tata", "papa", "mama" in a nonspecific way
His ability to understand also increases during this month, being able to point, look or touch up to three objects or people when his name is said with words or gestures. You can also pay attention and enjoy hearing new words.
We can observe him making “palmitas” when he hears the word or sees a gesture related to the game, in addition to verifying that he responds to his name a high percentage of times or to some social type instruction (such as saying goodbye). In addition, the gestures you now use to communicate with the rest of the people in your environment are used in a functional way.
11th month
It is here when our little one begins to use two or more words associated with concepts that represent verbs. In addition, those times he is playing alone, we can hear him vocalize what he is doing (in his jargon, of course). And those words that previously did not have a functional meaning (that is, which he used interchangeably regardless of who he was referring to) already have it, in addition to saying another word with these characteristics.
When he listens to a song and also wants to do it, he is able to imitate the voice and tone changes in the songs he hears. His interest in isolated words that are associated with objects or activities important to him begins to increase, in addition to beginning to understand some questions (such as: where, what ...).
Before a request that is made verbally, to help with some kind of gesture, our child is able to carry it out, in addition to identifying a family person or object by name, provided they are significant to the child.
12th month
From now on you will start using between one and three words to refer to a specific person, food or object. In addition, when you do not know the name of an object or animal, you will use characteristic onomatopoeic sounds to make yourself understood and refer to them.
His jargon continues to be a bit indecipherable due to his immaturity, but he begins to include bisyllabic words that he already used in previous months.
Now you can better imitate all the vowels, the exclamations you hear or even different facial gestures that represent feelings or sensations, which will allow you to better perceive the emotions of the adult; these imitations are also becoming increasingly thin in regard to onomatopoeic sounds of animals or objects.
His ability to understand is also increased, since he now responds with appropriate gestures to several more complex kinds of mandates. This improvement in understanding is also noticeable when, when I approach the hand and before the instruction "give me", it responds appropriately.
Finally, we can see how he begins to use words or gestures to communicate his wishes and needs, in addition to issuing some verbal response to the verbal mandates of adults. Also, start to point and make verbal broadcasts to ask for something.
