When Do Babies Start Talking? Speech Milestones for Parents
Reviewed by Dr Abhas Gupta, MBBS, MD, DNB (Paediatrics), PDCC (Paediatric Rheumatology) • About Dr Abhas Gupta (Bio) (4 min read)
Children start talking at very different ages. What matters most is not the first word — it is whether your child is communicating with you in other ways.
Key Takeaways
- Children start talking at very different ages; how your child communicates matters more than how many words they have.
- Eye contact, responding to names, babbling back, and gestures like pointing are the true building blocks of speech.
- Myths like "boys talk late" or "two languages confuse them" often cause parents to wait when asking early costs very little.
- Losing words or communication skills a child already had is always worth raising promptly with your pediatrician.
What to look for before words
Long before children say anything you recognise, they are already communicating. Look for three key patterns:
- Do they respond to you? Turning to their name, looking at your face.
- Do they make sounds back? Babbling, and taking turns with sounds.
- Do they use their hands? Pointing, reaching, waving, showing you things.
Talking starts long before the first word
Long before children say anything you recognise, they are already communicating. They look at your face, turn when you call them, babble back when you speak, and point at what they want.
These are the building blocks of speech. A child who is doing all of this and has not yet said a clear word is in a very different position from a child who is not doing them. As your toddler grows into their second year, speech develops alongside motor skills; check our comprehensive guide to toddler milestones (12 to 24 months) to monitor overall progress.
That is why counting words is not the most useful thing you can do. Watching how your child connects with you tells you more.
Advice that is worth questioning
Families often reassure each other with these. Sometimes they turn out to be right — many late talkers do catch up on their own.
The problem is that all three lead to the same thing: waiting. And if something treatable is going on, such as reduced hearing, waiting is the one thing that does not help.
Growing up with more than one language does not delay speech. Children learning two languages may split their early words between them, which can look like fewer words, but their overall communication develops normally.
When should I talk to a pediatrician?
Losing skills a child already had is always worth raising promptly, even if everything else seems fine.
A hearing check is often one of the first things a pediatrician will arrange, and it is quick and painless. Asking early costs very little. Waiting can cost time that would have been useful.
- Your child does not turn or respond when you call their name
- Your child is not babbling or making sounds back to you
- Your child does not point, wave or gesture
- Your child has lost words or skills they used to have
- You are worried about how your child hears or communicates
Frequently Asked Questions
When do most children say their first word?
There is a wide normal range, and children vary a great deal. Rather than comparing to a fixed age, your pediatrician will look at how your child communicates overall.
My child understands everything but doesn't speak. Is that alright?
Understanding well is a good sign, and many children understand more than they say. It is still worth mentioning to your pediatrician so your child's communication can be looked at properly.
Does speaking two languages at home delay speech?
No. Children growing up with more than one language develop communication normally. Their early words may be split between the languages, which can make the count in each one look smaller.
Does screen time affect speech?
Children learn language from back-and-forth interaction with people. Time spent watching a screen is time not spent in that exchange. Talking, reading and playing together are what build language.
Should I wait and see, or ask now?
If you are wondering, ask. A pediatrician can check hearing and look at your child's communication as a whole. If everything is fine, you have lost nothing. If it is not, you have gained time.