DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING: Baby Talk!

Pretty soon your little one is going to be babbling like never before! Celebrate and thank yourself. The special moments spent with your child helped them grow. Learning starts earlier than we might think. From birth, a baby is learning how to move, talk, and understand. They learn from their surroundings. That is why it’s important to start talking to your baby as soon as they are born. By four months, you will start noticing your baby beginning to babble. By 9 months, he or she will start stringing letters together to make sounds like mama or baba.

You can help them build their vocabulary in fun and exciting ways. Here are some activities to do with your baby to enhance their language skills:

1. Rhyme Time: Sing rhymes to your baby. Hold his/her hands and clap along with the words.
2. Family Photos: Look at pictures of family members in a photo album or on the computer, saying each person’s name to your child.
3. Matching Laundry: Show your child a sock. Point out the different colors and say things like, “whose little green socks are these? Whose big white socks are these?”

Not every child will develop at the same rate. If you are not sure if your child is on track, here are two things you can do. One is to dial 211. You can speak to a specialist about developmental milestones including getting a screen done over the phone. If there is a cause for concern, they will refer you to your pediatrician or a Federally Qualified Health Center, if you don’t have a physician. Two is to talk to your child’s pediatrician directly. Ask questions about developmental milestones. The doctor can screen your child and let you know if your child needs early intervention or other support.