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. Any child, no matter their age, can have their 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.