DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
0 Months - 5 Years

Creating Pathways Pediatric Therapy strives to offer evidence-based therapy that we want your child to enjoy.  When following a child centered approach, Speech/language therapy can be fun!  Arming yourself with the most up-to-date information possible when deciding whether-or-not your child is in need of speech/language therapy is essential.  In conjunction with a formal speech/language evaluation, we recommend gaining information regarding your child's skills and needs from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

​SPEECH AND LANGUAGE MILESTONES are paramount when researching the signs and symptoms of speech/language disorders.  Follow the link below and learn more about WHEN your child should be gaining pertinent skills for speech and language development.  
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart/

​FINDING THE RIGHT PROFESSIONAL to work with your child is essential.  The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends contacting an ASHA certified speech/language pathologist to focus on prevention, identification, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation.  Creating Pathways Pediatric Therapy employs licensed therapists who hold their Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA.

0-6 months

• Searches for speaker
• Recognizes own name
• Babbles
• Vocalizes feelings through intonation
• Frequently puts fingers, objects, clothing, pacifier into mouth for sucking and mouthing
• Breastfeeding and/or bottle feeding
• Starting soft, smooth solid foods
• Cooing: vowel-like sounds

10-12 months

• Clears food off spoon with upper lip (eats lumpy, mashed foods)
• Feeding self with fingers
• Babbles using different sounds (nama)
• Takes turns vocalizing
• Will imitate others’ vocalizations or gestures
• Points/gestures and vocalizes
• Participates in joint attention activities

24 months

• Has at least 100 words in vocabulary
• Frequently uses 2-word phrases
• Uses some 3-word phrases
• Is at least 25-50% intelligible to all listeners
• Follows simple 2-step related commands (may still require gestural cues)
• Drinks from an open cup and from straw without dribbling
• Bites through a variety of food thicknesses
• Demonstrates verbal turn-taking

36 months

• Is 75% intelligible to all listeners
• Converses in sentences
• Has 1000 words in vocabulary
• Follows prepositional commands (on, next to, under, etc.)
• Follows simple 3- step related commands
• Begins to use adjectives for color and size
• Asks one-word “why” questions
• Uses “what”, “where”, “how”, and “whose” when asking questions
• Uses “in” and “on” when asked “where” questions
• Beings to understand time concepts such as soon, later, wait
• Chews and swallows majority of adult food

60 months

• Uses a variety of sentences with 6 or more words
• Has greater than 2000 words in vocabulary
• Uses most speech sounds correctly
• Is 90-100% intelligible
• Answers “how are things the same or different”
• Can carry a plot when telling a story
• Understands time concepts (yesterday, today, first, then, next)
• Asks question to get more information
• Inventive spelling when writing

7-9 months

• Self-feeds simple, finger foods
• Babbles same sounds repeatedly (baba or mama)
• Produces sounds which are similar to t,d,n,f,v,z,ch,j,th,sh and s
• Makes sound while eating with food in mouth
• Reaches for object and looks for caregiver’s reaction
• Tolerates smooth, lumpy solids fed by spoon by 9 months

18 months

• Uses 10-20 words including names
• Combines 2 words (all done, Daddy bye-bye)
• Names at least 5 common items
• Responds to “yes/no” questions
• Follows simple, one-step commands
• Points to body parts on self when names
• Retrieves objects from another room when asked
• Understands at least 50 words
• Asks for “more” and “what’s that?”
• Drinks liquids from an open cup independently with limited spillage
• Swallows with lip closure
• Has precise up and down tongue movement
• Eats table foods (includes easily chewed meats and cooked vegetables)

30 months

• Has approximately 450 words in vocabulary
• Gives own first name
• Answers “where” questions
• Uses present progressive -ing
• Uses “no” or “not”
• Consistently uses 3-4 word phrases/sentences
• Identifies simple objects by function
• Is 50-75% intelligible
• Shares toys and understands simple locations (in, under, out, off)
• Responds to greetings
• Uses pronouns (my, me, mine, you)

40 months

• Uses regular plural –s (socks, shoes)
• Uses possessive –s (baby’s bottle)

48 months

• Consistently uses 4-5 word sentences, with correct sentence structure
• Is 80% intelligible
• Verbally relates a personal experience/story
• Asks many questions including “who?” and “why?”
• Uses regular and irregular past tense verbs consistently and regular 3rd person
• Uses most pronouns
• Has 1500+ words in vocabulary
• Follows simple multi-step directions without repetition
• Uses contractions (can’t, don’t, I’ve)
• Identifies colors​

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