The following are developmental guidelines for children with normal hearing.  If your child is not reaching these milestones, you should see a physician or audiologist to have your child's hearing tested.

Birth to 4 months

• Most babies are startled by sudden loud sounds.
• When sleeping in a quiet room, the baby moves or wakes up at the sound of voices or noises.
• Babies seem to calm down when they are crying, even for a moment, at the sound of mother's voice.
• Babies seem to recognize their mother's voice better than other voices.
• At three to four months, babies will turn their head toward a sound.

4 to 8 months

• Babies will turn their head and eyes toward a sound when the sound is coming from outside the child's peripheral vision.
• Babies begin to enjoy the sound of musical toys (rattles, bells, etc.).
• At approximately six months of age, babies begin babbling in response to someone talking to them.

8 to 12 months

• Babies voices go up and down in intonation when vocalizing.
• Babies turn directly toward a soft noisemaker, or to the calling of their name.
• Babies seem to enjoy music and respond by listening, bouncing, or "singing” along.

12 to 16 months

• Children understand many words, and speak about 25 single words.

18 to 24 months

• Children undergo a "name explosion," that is, they begin to understand that everything has a word that goes with it, and they begin speaking two word sentences.  Children know about 100-200 words.

24 to 36 months

• Children begin speaking more fully in sentences, and know about 200-400 words.