Communication Development from Birth to 12 Months

infant/child directed speech (IDS/CDS)

• simpler syntax (shorter sentences)

• important words at the end of the utterance

• increased pitch fluctuations and higher pitch

• slower and more precise speech production

when do caregivers use IDS/CDS

• to purposely interact with the infant

• identify frequent events, objects, and routines

• to refer to the immediate context

birth to 8 months

infant communication development reflects

• sensory/motor development

• cognitive development measured by looking at play skills

both lead to intentional communication

main highlights from birth to 8 months

• infants lack conscious, goal-directed behaviors, behavior is not intentional

• caregivers interpret infants’ behaviors as if behaviors are intentional

0-3 months

quiets or smiles in response to sound or voice

4-6 months

listens and responds when spoken to

presymbolic stage (2-18mo)

• exploratory play stage (2-10mo): mouthing, banging, and examining toys

• object manipulation (nonfunctional) play stage (5-12mo): try to manipulate the properties of toys but not very specific

communicative forms (behaviors of the baby)

• differentiated crying

• eye gaze: mutual/dyadic

• social smile

• facial expressions (responds differently to different intonations (ex. friendly vs. angry)

• cooing sounds in response to speech

  • babbling emerges towards end of this stage

why does the baby do these behaviors?

protesting/rejecting

requesting (as interpreted by caregiver)

intentional communication: 8-12 mo

jargon stage

• transitions from babbling to true words

  • words progress towards adult forms

jargon

10 months and older

variegated babbling becomes more complex

protowords lead to first True Words as defined by the adult model

by 10-12 months, the infant’s receptive language/language comprehension skills include

• responds to name

• responds to no

• recognizes words in routine contexts

  • byebye, eat, up

• recognizes familiar phrases

  • so big, peekaboo, go nightnight

emergence of intentional communication

infants develop behaviors to get adults to do something

intentions are conveyed by multiple forms

• gestures, nonword vocalizations, eye gaze, facial expressions, protowords, and finally real words

by 10-12 months, the infant’s expressive communication skills/communicative forms include

• pointing to request and comment (usually by 10 months)

• triadic eye gaze to establish joint attention (observed around 9-10 and beyond)

• produce protowords and babbling to makes requests and comments

• intentional communication

four criteria for intentional behaviors

• do something to get your attention

• do something that shows what you want

• sit and wait for you to do something

• persist

assessment of infant communicative intentions

parent report measures

observations

developmental assessments

the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Words and Gestures/Sentences

way to assess if your child has reached certain communication milestones